When Did I Become a Soap Opera?
by FadingMoonlight
Summary: My name is Nara Shikamaru. I'm in high school and I'm gay. I can think of four problems with that: My best friend isn't, the guy i like isn't, the only gay guy i know can't give good advice and my mom is set on grand kids...How Troublesome. Shika X Kiba
1. Realization

**Note - **All Naruto characters were created by and belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Usually I write most of the story befor ei post it, but i REALLY like this pairing and just couldn't resist. I'm currently on the second part, so any ideas are welcome! This is my first yaoi/shonen ai story, so i'm sorry if it kinda sucks...This is in Shika POV!!

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The other day I figured something out about myself. It explains a lot about me, answers a lot of questions peoples have asked. Or maybe just the one asked most frequently, that being why I never got into a relationship with the any girls I go to school with.

The answer was simple, I'm gay.

It was a simple concept, a guy liking another guy, yet it took about a day to completely get my head around the idea. In the twenty-four hours it took to get used to it, I had already made a mistake or two with the information.

I was confused at first, and so went to the only friend I knew could help, Naruto. Naruto had experience with the whole gay thing, he was gay himself. Though he was going out with the transsexual Haku everyone, including Haku, knew he was just waiting for the girls to get over Sasuke so he wouldn't be pummeled when Sasuke admitted to liking him back.

My mistake was asking for his advice.

He told me what any good friend would, 'Just go and admit it. Unless it's a higher up, with which you'll get pummeled, you shouldn't be afraid to admit your feelings. I'm sure the guy will understand, Haku did.' The advice was easily one thing I had come with myself, but it did sound better coming from someone else.

It was his next words that made me give up on the guy and leave to try and figure it out on my own again.

For some reason, when my mom made my dad and me have a little heart to heart, as she does when she suspects something's up with me, I actually told him. At first he looked like he was going to laugh, then noticed how serious I was, and embarrassed. What kind of teenager tells his dad he thinks he's gay? None, except me.

'Shika, my son,' He said, taking the scene out of one of moms romance novels, 'I don't doubt your words,' he obviously didn't know how to handle this on his own, so where's mom with the cue cards? 'There comes a time in every adolescent boy's life, where he starts to realize that, though girls aren't _icky_, they aren't all they're cracked up to be. All boys start to wonder if their friends might understand them better than the opposite sex and-'

I wasn't about to bother listening to him say something he probably rehearsed a thousand times, what a waste of time that would be. Without a single thought other than how stupid I was for telling my father that I'm gay I left and went to my room. A couple seconds later dad came in; sorry he didn't have anything better to say.

He sat down on the bed, next to my feet and just sat. Eventually he turned to me. 'I am sorry for that, I just…I never thought about you being gay.' He did sound sorry, or at least embarrassed. 'Are you absolutely sure? I mean, I could just be a phase right?'

I couldn't help sighing, this was just so stupid, 'Dad, if your not comfortable with it, just pretend you never found out or it is just a phase.'

With a sigh himself he started to leave. Just as he was about to shut the door he looked back in, 'you should tell Choji how you feel, I'm sure he won't take anything from it.'

I sat bolt upright. That was the same thing Naruto had said. Why did everyone just assume I was some kind of soap opera that couldn't fall in love with anyone but my best friend?


	2. Everyday Problems

**Notes- **All Naruto characters were created by and belong to Masashi Kishimoto. Alright, first of all, sorry this took so long. I have way to many unfinished stories and can never decide which ones to work on, plus I've been in a sort of i-lack-inspiration kind of mood for the last week and a half. I had meant for this chapter to be longer, but then i forgot what i wanted to happen so just left it. Second, don't expect this to update really quickly. I'll try my best but no promises. Third, I'm almost sorry i put Choji with an Oc character, but i can't picture him with anybody else...I'm so weak.

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So I realized this great truth and everyone thinks it's a faze. I know I'm gay and everyone else thinks it's my way of avoiding the all great bitch of the older students. 

Now I'm in class watching Lee make a complete fool of himself trying to get a girl, on Kiba suggestion of course.

Ah, Kiba. He was known as the perverted girl chaser of the class. At no time did he not have a girl hanging off his arm. How he managed to convince them to go out with him despite the fact he'd most likely already dated their friends was beyond me.

Maybe it was his attitude, the way he made it obvious he hated school, while not going too far and getting suspended. Or maybe it was his dog-like qualities, his pointed canines, ruffled hair and playful way of getting what he wants. It might just be all of that and his dark brown eyes that just looked a whole lot like melted chocolate. It would help he's athletic a real good looking.

I shook my head, realizing what I was thinking. Why do I notice these things about him? Anyway, everyone thinks it's Choji I like. That I don't understand.

Choji's my best friend, so I know for a fact he's not into men. Not that he tries to hide his liking for the new girl, or newest.

About a month ago we had a transfer come to the school. She got put in our class and a dozen guys fell in love. It might be her innocent act and long hair and deep purple eyes. I wouldn't know I never cared. Now I know why.

Anyway, she was paired with Choji for an English project. What went on when they got together, or how it happened had everybody stumped. Out of all the guys with an interest in her, she overlooked them and Sasuke (That shocked everyone) and started a relationship with Choji.

'Hey Shika, you in there?' A hand waved in front of my face, interrupting the daydream. I blinked the sleep from my eyes only to see ice blue ones looking at me. 'What's up with you?' The Blond asked, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

'What do you want Ino?' I asked, getting straight to the point. She pouted; upset she didn't get to play whatever little game she had planned.

'I need to copy your math homework.' She said just as simply as she sat gracefully in the chair next to me.

'And why would I let you copy my homework? Why didn't you do your own?'

'I was busy with Sakura and Tenten.' She replied, starting to do that thing where she looks at her nails as if they're a millions times more interesting than me.

I was almost tempted to ask what she was doing with them, but the possible answers were obvious enough; shopping, planning a party of some sort, discussing girly matters ect…

I thought over giving her my math sheet, it would easily get her out of my hair. Unfortunately that would only last a little while, and then she would come back with her slightly unbuttoned shirt and perfectly made up face to bug me again.

'Why the hell do girls do that anyway?' I thought to myself, or meant to. As soon as I saw the look on Ino's face I mentally slapped myself.

'Are girls not allowed to just hang out, like guys do?' Even though my eyes had wandered slightly away from her I could still feel her gaze as she glared at me.

'That's not-' I was cut off, thankfully, by Sakura loudly letting Lee know her feelings off him.

'How many times do I have to tell you I won't go out with you?' Ino's pink haired accomplice screeched. For some reason she wasn't able to see anything likable in Lee, even though he had many likable qualities.

'S…Sakura…'

'I won't go out with you! I will never go out with you! You…you…' The frazzled girl turned away in a huff, leaving the love struck Lee where he stood. 'C'mon Ino, I need to check my make-up.' I nearly thanked the girl as she dragged away my blonde pain in the-

'Hey Shika!' Another blonde pain took the place of the previous. I sighed; _will they ever leave me alone? _I asked myself as I look up at the beaming Naruto.

'Hey…' I replied without much enthusiasm.

'So?' He asked.

'So?' I mimicked, not sure what he was talking about.

'He looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening then leaned closer. Instinctively I leaned back. 'Did you tell him?' Naruto whispered.

'What?'

'You know, yesterday. Did you tell him how you felt?' It clicked. I remembered how I'd confided in Naruto. How stupid was that.

'No.' I said simply.

'What? Why not?'

'It was stupid advice.' At that moment the teacher, Iruka-sensei, came in and saved me from the annoyance the blonde tagged behind him like a dog.

'All right now. Every one to your seats.'


	3. A New Problem?

**Notes- **All Naruto characters were created by and belong to Masashi Kishimoto, with the exception of Hashi Yuki (OC). I'm such a horrible person! I'm so sorry to my readers that I take so long to write parts! I shouldn't have an excuse, because I finshed this part days ago, but I will put one anyway. i wrote most of this in Math class, so i had bits and peices everywhere that I had to find and peice together! I'm sorry!

* * *

"Good morning class

"Good morning class." Iruka-sensei said as we settled down.

"Good morning." We echoed half heartedly. I sighed and put my head on the desk. Iruka-sensei proceeded to check the attendance.

"Akimichi." As per usual I could feel my eyelids getting heavy. By the time he called out my own name I could hardly manage a grunt in response.

"Yamanaka." He finished awhile later.

"Here." With that we finished the daily ritual of roll call. I yawned at the thought of the learning that always comes next.

"Before we jump into our novel study, we have a new student." I forced an eye open, curious about the sudden change in routine. I sent what could almost be a glare to the teacher while he was turned and writing the new students name on the board.

The door slid open, if all eyes hadn't already been glued to it; I doubt anyone would have noticed. Silently the new girl stepped in.

I swear it was another Ino, only one with blue streaks that stepped in. True, the eyes were closer to Sakura's green than Ino's blue, but the blond hair and the deal-with-it-bitch stance was almost exactly the same. I got the feeling I wasn't going to be 'best friends' with this Ino clone.

"Class, this is Hashi Yuki."

She waved what she must have thought was cutely to class. I could feel a groan bubbling up from my gut. I put my head on my hand, got the bored-as-hell look on and-

"Nara!" With a crash I fell to the floor, blown away by Iruka-sensei's yell. A steady background of giggles could be heard over his shoulder as he stalked over to where I lay on the floor. "Since you don't seem to have anything better to do I'll put you in charge of getting Miss Hashi up to date with our lessons."

"Call me Yuki, please." I could swear I saw the sweet act just falling off her, like a fake skin, and pure evil glowed brightly underneath.

"Um, hello." With a jolt I realized Yuki had taken Iruka-sensei's and now cast her own over shadow over me. Showing off her perfect white teeth she held a hand out to me, seeing as I was still on the floor. "So what's your first name, Mr.Nara?"

I avoided her hand like the plague as I got up. "Shikamaru." I said simply.

"Nice to meet you." And she skipped off to her seat, which I noticed was suspiciously close to Ino's.

"Now," Iruka-sensei said before anyone had the chance to start up a conversation. "Back to Flower's For Algernon…"

I wouldn't be able to tell you what happened next.

Two hours later we finally got a break from _learning_. From the corner of my eye I noticed Choji and his girlfriend walk out of the classroom together. I guess I won't be spending the break with him.

"Nara Shikamaru?" I turned to see the new girl standing behind me, and a little ways behind her was Ino. Ino had her deadly look that just screamed agree-or-else. I grunted.

"So I was thinking," She started, "I'm going to get all my books and stuff today, so maybe after school we should get together so you can get me up to speed and all."

I sent a quick glance over her shoulder to Ino, who was obviously glaring at me. I sighed, "Fine, whatever."

"Great!" She showed of those perfect white dentures again. I almost gagged. "So we'll have to do it at your place, since mine is a total mess. I mean I don't even think I have anywhere to sleep yet!" Before I knew what was happening, the blonde had her arm latched onto mine and was dragging me out the door. 'Or maybe we could get together at a park, but you'd have to show me where one is. Hey! You can show me around town a little to!"

Damn, another troublesome person sent to annoy the shit out of me…


	4. Around Town

**Notes- **All characters, with the exceptions of two, were creathed by and belong to Misashi Kishimoto. Sorry, as usual, that it took _forever_ to get out. I promise to write the next one faster. Okay, as an idea, if you hav ean account and all, if you think I really need to update, message me or something (if thats possible) and tell me to get my butt into gear. Of course reviews/critism or possible story ideas always help too!

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For the first time in history, a Nara flinched at the sound of the bell that signaled the end of learning for the day

"Hey, Shika. What's up?" Choji sat heavily in the seat next to me. A laughing smile spread widely over his face. "I'd never have thought you'd ever regret school ending."

"Yeah, well…"

"I'm free today, so you wanna hangout or something?" He scratched his cheek and continued to smile, a sign that he had given something up to do this. _Knowing Choji, he probably felt bad for spending so much time with his girlfriend. _

I sighed, desperately wanting to take him up on his offer. "No, you go spend time with your girlfriend. I have something else I need to do."

Shock flickered over Choji's face, but was soon replaced with his usual smile, "You sure? I know I spend a lot of time with Hikori, but if you ever want to hangout you just need to ask."

"I know Choji." I replied with a smile of my own, "I would really like to hang out with you, anytime, but right now-"

"He's going to be my guide for this evening!" _The Evil has come. _Yuki wrapped her arms around my neck and flashed Choji with a view of her pearl whites. _And it's got a hold of me. _I could almost vision the action movie scene in my mind. The hero wrapped in the controlled vines of the evil enchantress and forced to do her bidding.

"Right then, call me later Shikamaru." Choji said, getting up to leave. Numbly I noticed Hikori eagerly join him at the door.

"Stay here, Shika." Yuki breathed in my ear, "I just gotta go get my books. Be back in a second!" And she bounced out of the room.

Minutes passed before she came back. I took the time and considered escaping before she came back, but winced at the very thought of what Ino would do to me when she found out. Yuki came back before I could come up with a way out, where the consequence didn't involve either Ino or Sakura after me.

"Alright Shikamaru-kun, let's go!"

With reluctance nearly dripping form my ears I got up and started the increasingly boring task of explaining where _every _building of any importance was. "The library is just down the street form the school, which is very important for doing whatever shit the teachers give us. And the supposedly cool hangout is right over there, though I don't know why the girls love it so much."

"Actually, the cool place to be is more across town, not that Shikamaru is the best guy to ask about that kind of stuff anyway." I stiffened at the voice; it rang so nicely in my ears.

"Ah, Kiba!" Yuki spun to look at the rugged teen, "What are you doing here?"

"Actually," He stepped closer so as to lean on my shoulder. I was so busy trying to control the strange need to either step away or risk jumping him and wrapping my arms around the boy. Why did he have to wear that smirk? _So hot…_

I was a twitch away from actually slapping myself at the thought, but that would have most definitely been strange. Damn reputation.

I just sighed instead.

"Actually?" Yuki pressed, she flipped her hair in a girlish gesture. She raised an eyebrow and gave half a smile. Like she needed to try and impress the jock that stood looking at her. Disgusted I opted to look away, examining the books in a store window instead.

"Actually, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to join me for a movie or something over the weekend. We could get to know each other." He did nothing to hide the hint in his voice.

"Oh." Yuki bit her lip, a feigned gesture of innocence. Her face darkened as, for the first real time, she kept the shining white of her teeth from blinding everyone around. "I'm sorry Kiba, but I can't accept your offer."

"You already have someone you like?" Kiba asked, having gone through this before.

"Yeah, I kinda do…" Kiba wasn't fazed by the comment. My heart skipped as a stray thought crossed my mind, only to be quickly dashed away as I fought a blush.

"I'll cry if you say it's Sasuke." Kiba replied instead, his tone still light.

"Nope! It's Shikamaru!"

_Dammit!_


	5. Meeting The Parents

**Notes-**By now i'm sure you all understand that I don't own any of the official Naruto characters.

Also, I'm very sorry, i know I said I said I would update soon, I even had part of this chapter written at the time...but I kinda got into a sorta writers block. Now before any of even think of possibly thanking me for finally updating, don't. Thank Shika's sexual tension. For all you who are staring at your computer wondering how my mind works I'll explain. To get out of my writers block I started another short project, while writing that I really wanted to write a, um, more hardcore yaoi scene if you will, but I wanted that to be a more fluffy story(and I was afraid of my siblings seeing what I was writing and thinking something was wrong with me) and I found writing about Shika being all uncomfortable with Kiba really helped. I'll stop now so you can read the story...

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"What!?" I spluttered.

"What?" Kiba repeated for me.

Yuki raised an eyebrow at the two of us. "What?" She repeated a third time. Admittedly it did sound different than me and Kiba's.

"You just got here today and you like…" Kiba pointed at me, leaning even more on my shoulder.

"Yep!" Yuki squeaked, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You do know Shikamaru has something wrong in the head, don't you?"

"He does not!" She said in a huff. It reminded me vaguely of my mother.

And so the two of them, the one I liked and the one who liked me started to have a grand _discussion _about the subject. Bored, I blocked it out and thought about other things, like the sound of all the peoples passing us on the street.

Then I realized how messed up my situation was. _A complete love triangle. Why me?_

A muttered "How troublesome" escaped my lips, causing all eyes to shift from the fighting couple to me. Trying to cover my embarrassment in front of Kiba, I took the break in arguing and grabbed a hold of Yuki and pulled her away from my-THE- girl chaser.

"Do you want me to help you or not? I can leave if you just want to talk to Kiba." I told the blue-blond haired girl.

She grabbed hold of my neck in what I suppose was supposed to be a hug. Seemed more like a death grip in my view. "No way! I was just supporting you honor. We can leave if you don't want to listen to this nobody anymore." She sent a glare at the apparent 'nobody.'

Something comparable to anger bubbled in my gut. Did she really just call Kiba a nobody? Kiba wasn't a nobody, far from it in fact. Kiba was KIBA. Kiba was the only person I had my eye on! The one I wanted to-

"KYAA! Shikamaru you're so cute when you blush!" The sudden screech in my ear and the tightening of the death grip choked the blush right of my face. Oh well, saved me the trouble of having to fight off the sudden thoughts that rushed through my head.

"Let's go." I took her wrist and led the girl away from Kiba. Somehow I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eye.

"Shikamaru, were have you been? I told you to be home fifteen minutes ago. I didn't pay for that watch so you could ignore it!" I glanced at said watch. Exactly 1.2 seconds had passed between my entering the door and my mother yelling at me. A new record.

"I had a good reason." Was all I gave her in return. Nonchalantly I walked passed her into the kitchen, my stomach aching in greeting of the familiar surrounding.

My mother followed me, her glare digging into my back like sharp stone hidden in the grass when I was cloud watching. "You always say that Shikamaru. I want to know what it is, and I want to know now." I pointed over my shoulder as I opened the fridge door.

"Oh, and who are you?" My dad's voice floated over to me and my mother. She rushed to look at my 'reason'.

Yuki was patiently waiting just outside the door, probably feigning the need to have permission to enter or something. She just smiled as my mother and dad both examined her. "Sorry. It really was my fault if Shikamaru was late today." She bowed to them both. How stupid. I turned back to the sandwich that was slowly coming to life in front of me. I could still hear her voice as she explained. "I'm new here and Shikamaru generously offered to show me around your village and help me get caught up with the curriculum." She said sweetly.

I didn't need to look to know neither of my parents believed it. Putting a final slice of ham on my sandwich I went to get Yuki so I -we- could get away from my parents. "I was forced." I amended for her, as I grabbed her wrist and dragged her away from my mothers disbelieving stare. That they believed.

"I can't believe he actually brought a girl home." Dad's voice somehow reached us as we got to the top of the stairs. Beside me Yuki giggled.

"And such a cute one too." Mother agreed.

"I wonder if it's a sign that both your parents like me." Yuki breathed, taking hold of my arm as she flipped her hair out of the way. The evil even put her head on my shoulder!

_This is going to be a long evening…_

**IMPORTANT-**I'm going away for six weeks this summer with almost no good internet source, so I probably won't be able to update until the end of August. I'll try, no promises, to update once more before I leave, and also when I can while away. Just thought i'd let you know. Please review!

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	6. Smart Haku

**Notes-**You all know I don't any of these characters, legally anyway. Before anyone asks, yes I'm on my trip,but right now we're jumping campgrounds and they all seem to have Internet(let me also praise the miracle that is laptops) so I thought I would update. I've written quite a few parts already, so I'll update whenever I can. Hope you all enjoy...

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"I don't think he's really with us."

"Damn, he's been like this all morning!"

"What are you talking about Naruto, he's been like this his whole life."

"Shikamaru!" A shrill shriek kick started my brain into action. With a gasp I actually jumped out of my seat and looked desperately for a hiding place.

"Shikamaru?" Ino repeated my name. I realized Yuki wasn't following her and slumped back into my chair. "Is he alright?" She asked Choji and Naruto who stood over me.

They shrugged. "He's been like this ever since Hashi-chan went over to his house last week." Choji glanced down at me, a worried gleam in his eyes.

"I think she probably raped him or something." Naruto stuffed half in his lunch into his mouth. "It would explain why he runs whenever she comes anywhere near him."

A manicured hand whacked me over the head. "You moron!" The blond scolded me. I raised an eyebrow at her. "You too!" She repeated the gesture for Naruto. "She's only been here a week and you two already think badly of her? I don't why I bother even talking to such insensitive jerks!" With a final glare the ice queen went to spread the news to her pink haired friend.

"So why do you think she bothered to come over here?" Naruto, being as thick as always, asked us.

"Why are you so jumpy when it comes to Hashi-chan Shikamaru?" Choji ignored Naruto, turning instead to me.

"No reason." I mumbled. _Just that she's completely evil and has made my totally impossible love life into something you would probably see on tv._

"There's got to be a reason." Naruto jumped back into the conversation, only to be interrupted.

"Reason for what?" With a muffled squeal, that almost sounded like Yuki again, Naruto whirled around and threw his arms around his boyfriend.

"Haku!"

"That Shikamaru is so jumpy whenever Hashi-chan is mentioned." Choji eagerly filled the new arrival in.

Haku glanced at me and shrugged himself. "That's simple. It must be awkward for him that a girl like him when he can't like her back."

Choji and Naruto both looked a piano had just fallen on their heads.

I stifled a chuckle, not wanting them to think I thought it was funny they couldn't figure that out themselves, but the looks on their faces was just to hilarious.

"Y'know Shikamaru," Haku addressed me, "You should probably tell her you can't ever like her like that, before things get too far."

"And how do I do that?" I snapped at him, but I'm not sure why. A sudden vision of Ino after I had commented on a particularly bad haircut and my mother after Dad forgot to clean the blood off his kunai flew threw my mind. I shivered.

Haku just smiled knowingly. Taking Naruto by the hand he started to lead him to their seats. "I'll try to figure something out if you want."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Shikamaru, I have an idea." Haku gazed at me with eyes that were soft as Choji's girlfriend's. "I think I know how you can tell Yuki you're gay and can't like her like she likes you."

"Is that why you were ignoring me during class?" Naruto looked at his lover, pretending to be hurt. "I had to go all afternoon without passing a single note. I almost listened to the teacher!"

"Oh my god, that can't be healthy for you!" Imitating an overprotective mother Haku placed a hand on his blonds forehead. "I think you might have a fever. Maybe I should take you home and nurse you until your better?" Even the ever dense Naruto got the underlying threat-could it be called a threat?

I went to the washroom to give the two a little time together before I broke it up for Haku's plan. There was a crash as that plan was halted in action.

"Fuck it all! That's coming out of my damn paycheck." A familiar voice growled.

'Sorry." I mumbled, scrambling like a newborn to get my feet under me.

"Damn it Shikamaru, even out of school your never on earth." The growling continued.

My head shot up before I'd registered that the growling waiter knew my name. "Kiba?!" Suddenly my stomach started tying itself in knots.

"Yeah? You helping me clean up this damn mess or what? You did cause this you know." He reminded me.

"Y-yeah, yeah." I tried to feign indifference as I knelt down next to him. I could hear his harsh breathing, and it gave me chills.

"What are you doing here?" Kiba asked after a moment. When I glanced at him he kept his gaze firmly planted on the floor. "No one from school comes here. Ever."

"Is that why you work here?" I tried to make it seem like I just wanted to change the subject, but I was truly interested.

"Is that a problem?" He snapped. He must have noticed how I winched, because a moment later he continued, "I mean, yeah, I guess it is. You know the school has a rule against the students having jobs like this. I need the money, but can't really afford to get in trouble with the principle again."

I could have guessed that. Everyone knew how often Kiba got in trouble with the principle for something or another. A lot of peoples had bets going for how much longer it was until he got expelled.

"Sorry for bumping into you." I apologized when we had finished picking up most of the sandwich and salad that had been spread all over the hallway. "If you want, I'll pay for what you'll lose out of your paycheck."

He blinked at me before shaking his head, "No no, I can't do that. It's as much my fault as yours. I'll manage on my own. Just don't tell anyone I work here." He left, heading back to the kitchen to replace the food.

"...yeah..." I was out of breath. Why? I hadn't gone anywhere. I hadn't even done much at all.

I ignored it and headed back to the Naruto and Haku.

"So what was your plan?" I asked while sliding back into the booth and breaking up the two boys in front of me. It was all I could do to try to keep my voice from betraying the emotions raging through my body. Why had the encounter with Kiba been so terrifying? I talked with Kiba all the time, why was it so different this time? Obviously Kiba brought up to many questions.

"So," Haku pushed his lover off his lap and faced me, stone faced. "Just to be sure, you want to tell Yuki that your gay and can't return her feelings, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Good. I have a couple of ideas, but I doubt you'd want to use my first one."

"Why wouldn't he want to use the first one?" Naruto whispered, an excuse to get closer to Haku no doubt. "It can't be that bad, if you thought of it."

"Well, I really doubt Shikamaru would want to kiss a boy while Yuki was watching. That would get the message across but..."

"No." I said simply. I was definitely not just going to kiss someone just to get this girl off my back. Why would anyone do that? "I hope you have something better than that." I practically pleaded.

Haku gave a smile, one that told me he thought he had the perfect idea. "So this is what you're going to do..."

* * *

I know I said in the second chapter that Haku was a transsexual, and someone asked me about that. Just to be honest I never really figured our if Haku is a girl now or a guy, I just found that wording fit him at the time, seeing as me and my friend were always trying to look for clues as to which he really was. Your welcome to think of it which ever way you want, but I'm always going to call Haku a he.


	7. A Plan Gone Awry 1

**_Notes-_**At first I was going to be sorry for how bad and cliche and stupid this was after the big cliffhanger, but then I realized this might actually be what happened in soap opera and how many things could go wrong and make Shika's life worse than it already is. So now I'm happy with it. Let me know if it really was as bad as i thought it was...

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_I paced nervously, the beat of my heart loud in my ears as I waited for that telltale knock on my door to tell me she had arrived._

I, Shikamaru Nara, hate school. It was the bane of all evil. The mother of all terrifying things that are not my own mother. School was the reason some teenagers take their own lives away, and the reason others ran away to the circus. It was a useless blip in the mind and there was absolutely no reason in forcing peoples to go to it.

But no one else seems to believe that.

And so I, and every other kid, are stuck in a concrete building writing stuff no ones ever going to read while outside the clouds go by without anyone to see what beautiful shapes they are. All the misery the poor clouds will go through because no one takes notice of them unnoticed all because apparently learning is above the feelings of anyone or anything.

_The knock came. Still nervous I answered it. There she stood, on my doorstep, in the most beautiful outfit I'd ever seen. If only she had an idea what I had planned for this meeting. My heart twisted at the idea, but I knew I had to go through with it._

The exercise was to pen down whatever came to mind in form of a story. In other words just make up a short story on the spot. Before I knew what I was writing I'd made Haku's plan into a story.

It was a bad plan, and I mean a REALLY BAD plan. If it didn't work almost perfectly I'd get in trouble with my parents-with my mother-and I still wouldn't have Yuki off my back.

Haku planned for me to throw a party.

I'd already invited everyone.

My parents had no idea I was doing this.

This was a really bad plan.

Why did I agree to this?

Oh yeah, Kiba thought it would be awesome if I did this.

The plan was actually quite simple, in theory. Throw party. Invite Yuki early. Make me seem like a horrible boyfriend prospect, or just turn her down. She cries to girls at party. Everythings alright with the world again.

As long as my parents didn't find out. If they did my world would be a living hell, as literally as I can get with that saying.

_I invited her in._

"_Hey." She squealed, excited about the night._

"_Hey..."I replied, not quite so enthusiastic._

"_This is going to be so much fun!"_

"_Is it?" I snap, feigning obnoxiousness, "I just thought it would make me a lot more popular."_

"Okay class. Cleanup now. Please leave your writing on my desk on your way out."

"You ready Shikamaru?" Naruto elbowed me on his way to the door. "I can't wait, neither can Haku. You'll have to be sure to tell us everything."

From across the room Haku gave me a wink.

How I wished I hadn't agreed to this.

Hours later my parents had left for their fancy dinner with some distant family member and I was sitting on my stairs staring solemnly at the door.

The doorbell rang like bells at my funeral.

Yuki didn't even wait for me to open the door before she flew in. "Let's get this party started!" She turned, seeing no one else, "Um Shikamaru..."

"Hey, Yuki, I-" I stumbled over the unfamiliar moodiness I was trying for. Yuki's face molded into a look of confusion only to be swept away by a wry look of understanding.

"Oh Shikamaru, you invited me earlier than everyone else didn't you?"

"Um, yeah, but-"

"Awww, you do love me!" Wiry arms wrapped around my neck, and a kiss landed on my nose, "y'know that you didn't have to do this just for me. You know I love you, all you had to do was tell me."

"But I-" The damned woman wouldn't let me finish.

"Did you throw this party just for me too? Shika, you really shouldn't have."

"Yuki, I-" I put my hands on her shoulder under the pretense that I was going to push her away from me, as far as possible.

"I know Shikamaru,' She giggled, "I won't make you say it. Don't worry."

"Yuki!" Then she forced her lips over mine.

In a kiss.

In my first kiss.

The door opened.

Naruto and Haku stopped, stunned.

Kiba peered over their shoulders.

_Kiba..._


	8. A Plan Gone Awry 2

I felt fear rush through my veins when I saw Kiba standing behind Naruto and Haku in the doorway

I felt fear rush through my veins when I saw Kiba standing behind Naruto and Haku in the doorway. The warmth of Yuki's body against mine and her lips keeping their firm hold on my face did nothing to chase away the chill that swept over me when all three lost their happy-go-lucky smiles upon entering my house.

_No, Kiba...This isn't..._I thought to myself, feeling as if a part of me was being sucked out by the blond stuck to my face. Desperately I wrestled with an almost overwhelming despair and managed to push away Yuki.

"Oh Shika..." She gasped, having lost her breath in the kiss.

Kiba stepped forward, another smile already replacing the shock. "Well, if I'd known you had plans I might've thought better about coming early." He eyed the two of us playfully.

I moaned. It seemed to be all I could do. "No...No, no, no..."

Haku took on last look at Yuki, who was smiling dreamily, and grabbed my arm. "Can we talk, Shikamaru." He had to lead me away from the strange group.

"What happened?" He demanded when we had made it safely around the corner.

I moaned, grabbed my head and sank to the floor in a cloud of despair.

"Shikamaru!" I could feel him shaking me, but all that I could do in response was stare up at him. I felt empty. Like Yuki had somehow sucked out my soul along with my breath. "Shikamaru, what happened? Why didn't the plan work?"

"Yuki." I groaned, not wanting to think about it, much less talk.

"What about Yuki?" Haku asked desperately, glancing at the clock. Everyone else was about to arrive soon. He had to find out now before everyone else. "Shika, why didn't it work? Didn't you act all snobbish and whatnot?"

"I did, but..."

"But?" He pushed. I think tears stung my eyes, but I felt to numb to be sure.

"She wouldn't let me talk. She was convinced I did this just for her. She thought I threw this damned party just so I could confess to her!" My voice was rising, the slightest hint of hysterics could be heard.

Haku quickly shushed me. The doorbell rang and Naruto happily went to open it. No doubt the awkwardness of the other room got to him. "It's okay Shikamaru, just forget about it." Haku tried to reassure me, his mind was obviously whirling already with ideas on how to fix this.

I was just thinking about many ways my life could get any worse.

"Just avoid Yuki like you always do, ignore what she says. We'll fix this. I promise."

"Let's get this party started!"

Everything went fine once the music started. Luckily it didn't go like did in mom's soap operas. No one brought older friends, no one got to out of control, nothing was broken and no one spiked the drink. It all went fine.

Until Ino thought the party needed a little more fun.

_It's not as if there's a chance of my house burning down or the cops coming._ I tried to reason with myself. _This is stuff we did in middle school._ Well, truly, I never did. I never bothered to go to parties myself. Waste of time in my opinion.

But then again I did just throw a party myself.

I looked at Ino, who was conferring with Yuki, Sakura and Tenten on which immature game to play first, and sighed. Nothing seemed to help make this night better.

"Alright everyone!" The hypnotic beat of the music stopped. Everyone was forced to look at the quartet of girls. "We've decided to play spin the bottle! So everyone who wants to play come over to the couches." And she sat down, preparing for the start of the game.

Sakura went to fetch Sasuke, predictably enough, while Tenten grabbed a firm hold of Neji. Not a second later and I was blind sided by something blond. Yuki. Damn.

"Come on, Shikamaru! Lets go play!" My ears rung in the aftermath of her high pitched voice. "It'll be fun!" Her voice dropped inexplicably, "And just maybe you'll get to kiss me again, only this time no one will wonder about it."

I tried without success to rip my arm from her grip. If anyone asked, I'd say my life flashed before my eyes.

"Hey Shikamaru, you actually playing?" A light, and surprised voice, spoke around Yuki. She sent the all to familiar guy a small glare and replied that she was playing as well. "Well maybe I'll manage to get a kiss from you before the nights over." Kiba sent Yuki the kind of smile I wished he'd send me.

I used the guilt at the thought to finally get Yuki to return my arm. "I suppose that means you're playing." It was meant to be a statement, but Kiba answered it anyway. My heart flipped, though I knew he was joining the game anyway.

"Of course. Like I'd miss the chance to kiss beautiful girls without their complaining." And my heart chilled over. Of course my hormone induced thoughts would never become reality. Kiba wasn't-he likes girls, not guys.

Not me.

"Does everyone know how to play? Doesn't matter, cause I'm going to tell you all anyway." Ino started enthusistically, "It's simple really. Someone spins the bottle and whoever it points to has to either kiss them or go in a closet with them for fifteen minutes."

"Isn't it only seven minutes?" Naruto asked.

"What can you do in fifteen minutes, I mean really!" Tenten shrugged, obviously wanting to move on. "So who's going first?"

"Sasuke!" Was Sakura's immediate nomination, and was seconded by enough peoples that it was decided.

The bottle spun.

And spun.

And finally landed on Yuki. They kissed, or pecked each other. But even that small unwanted lip contact rewarded Yuki with some jealous glares. Then Yuki spun the bottle.

She looked at me expectantly from across the circle.

The bottle stopped and Kiba smirked. "Told ya I'm get a kiss out of you before the night was over."

Yuki sent me an apologetic look before walking over to Kiba. _Like I care if she kisses Kiba, I just wish it were me that's all. _I tried to not care, but the nagging feeling that this were a show on tv made it so I still had to turn inconspicuously away.

Then Kiba got his turn to spin the bottle. With an apology to Choji he sent an audible prayer to get the chance to kiss Hikori.

The bottle spun.

And landed on me.


	9. A Plan Gone Awry 3

Spinning, spinning, spinning...

That's what my mind was doing.

It was going so fast I couldn't breathe and I would have fallen down if I wasn't already sitting. All I could think of was how stupid this childish game was, and why in the world we were playing it. _Damn spin the bottle!_

"This doesn't count." Someone decided, though I was too out of it to know who. "It doesn't count if you spin the same gender."

"That's what Kiba spun, it has to happen, it's the rules."

"If you spin the same gender you automatically go into the closet. That's the best way to do this."

A small bit of chaos erupted in the middle of my living room. Soon the music was drowned out by the flood of human voices. Only Ino seemed to be able to rise above the tide.

"Hey! Quiet down. Shut up!" Everyone, even those still dancing stopped to look at the blond. "I say we let the boys decide. It does concern them after all." She glared at anyone who might have had the idea of countering her, "We're teenagers, we can't still play like we're in Middle School. "She turned to Kiba. "So, you want to spin again or what?"

He pondered, "Well, fate was kind to me earlier," He sent a wink to the glaring Yuki-Fate hasn't been nearly so kind to her so far-before voicing his decision. "So I say we continue with the original rules. Just me and Shika a moment to confer about our decision if you could."

Before I knew it the lighthearted boy had pulled me away from the staring circle. "So what do you want?"

"Huh?" I don't think my mind was totally working yet. I shook my head to clear the slight fog that blocked out everything but Kiba's face staring down at me.

"Do you want the closet or the kiss?" He knelt down closer to whisper in my ear. "I figured you'd rather play this game with the homosexual rule and kiss me rather than some girl."

I had to push down my 'would I ever' reply, but it came up as a blush instead. Kiba smirked at that. "I'd rather not play at all." I replied instead.

"Ah, but that didn't seem to be your choice." He referred to Yuki of course. "At least I'm letting you have a choice in the outcome. My advice, the kiss is shorter. Less awkward time. I'll understand if you seem too eager."

He laughed at the look that had taken over my face. I wasn't even sure what it was. Happiness? Horror? When I figured it would be a good idea to reply I couldn't seem to formulate words. It only made him laugh harder.

He went back, and I was forced to follow, lest I seem too unhappy. Or would that be a good thing? I couldn't think about that. I had to stay connected to reality, for now anyway. I couldn't let myself space out now, when the chance of kissing Kiba was right in front of my nose. "We're gonna do the kiss."

It was just about to happen.

"You are?" One of the known yaoi fan girls sat up straighter in her seat.

"Yep.." Kiba confirmed, playfully slinging his arm around my waist. A blush burned through my protective walls to decorate my cheeks.

The sound of girls squealing grated in my ears and slightly ruined the moment. Only slightly mind you.

"Kiba..." I mumbled, logically thinking that I should at least try to go against this. If I didn't who knew what might happen if somebody thought I wanted to do this. Even though truthfully I did.

"Don't worry, Shika, it'll be over in a minute." Kiba said with a wink. Why was he playing it up so much?

And then it happened.

It was swift and painless, to use an overused expression, but it still left me reaching for the arm of the couch for support. Kiba had swooped down to my height and barely brushed his lips to mine before straightening up. The girls screamed in delight anyway.

"See," Kiba sat down as if nothing had happened, "That wasn't so bad was it?"

"I guess not..." I tried not to gasp. _It was only the best moment of my life! _I wanted to scream it, dance almost, but I knew I had to keep up my facade.

"Good," Sakura giggled, still high from the earlier sight," Because you get to spin now, Shikamaru."

I groaned. What a way to ruin a moment.

If only that had been the only thing to ruin my mood.

I dutifully spun the bottle-slightly hoping it would land on Kiba, and everyone would let the kiss happen again-though I knew luck was probably not on my side anymore.

It wasn't. The bottle lurched to a sickening stop only to land on Yuki. Another great uproar was caused. Some peoples argued about how she already got her turn and that I should spin again, others just whistled at the irony and didn't care either way. It ended up being the same rules as with me and Kiba.

Yuki made the decision, enough said.

_Damn, damn, damn!_ Was all that was going through my head, so that's why I didn't manage to get my say in the decision.

My love triangle was complete.

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Today I think i'll put my rantings on the bottom of the page. Mostly so I can just remind you all that I love reviews and comments and stuff. It makes me feel loved. That's all. Thanks for reading!


	10. A Plan Gone Awry 4

**Notes- **Sorry, sorry, sorry for not updating, I was trying a thing to maybe get me to write faster, but I finally decided that wasn't working and that I had to update. I'll say sorry one more time then just let you get to reading.

Remember that I really like reviews.

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It was the bottle, I decided. It was the damn bottle that hated me. That's why it decided to have me go through this.

I'd kissed my only love interest. It was amazing.

Now I had to kiss my devoted fangirl, whom I found annoying and my love interest was interested in. This wasn't so amazing.

Yuki screeched in delight, jumped up and down a few times and flew across the circle. "So I do get to kiss Shikamaru!" I took a second to be relieved she hadn't added 'again' to her statement.

Then she was on me like a hungry dog on steak.

She 'glomped' me, you could say-At least I think that's what it was, I've never really bothered to learn all the manga terms for things. But if having a girl absolutely fly into a hug with you and almost knock you over is what it is, then she glomped me- and the forced made me step back and put my hands on her waist in fear of falling over.

She, and most of the on looking circle, took that the wrong way.

"Shikamaru," She breathed, savoring the moment before it was gone. Then she crashed her lips into mine again. I took it numbly, not sure what I should do.

The crowd around us quieted as Yuki kept the kiss going. With her eyes firmly shut she enjoyed it, her arms locked around my neck in a grip that wouldn't let me pull away. Just as I started panicking she pulled away to catch her own breath. I gulped down the air, my hands tightening on her waist as the world around me spun.

She misinterpreted that and dove right back into the kiss.

The cat calls got me angry. Over Yuki's shoulder I could see Haku and Naruto not even moving to help me, and the girls all smiling coyly at each other. The final straw was seeing Kiba put his finger to his lips and join the whistles. The shame and hurt just fueled the anger more.

I finally pushed Yuki off me, with a bit more force than was necessary I admitted to myself later. With a crash she stumbled back into the coffee table, fell over it, and cracked her head on the floor. Everything stopped.

Blood was pounding through my ears, effectively blocking out the music. I gasped for air, trying to calm my beating heart and get rid of the adrenaline rushing through my veins. Everyone looked at me, no one moved. Yuki burst into a sob and broke the spell.

The girls rushed over to see her, some sending glares my way as Sakura and Ino tried to comfort her and make sure she wasn't hurt. Choji got my first aid kit to help and everyone else still stared at me in shock.

I suppose I never have gotten really angry or any other emotion, in front of my peers before.

The anger rushed out of my system just as fast as it had come. Suddenly feeling drained I slumped back into my chair and covered my face with my hands. It was right about then I noticed Yuki-or was it my fault?- had broken the table when she fell. I mumbled to myself, I didn't feel like I had the strength to say anything too loudly.

"What did you say Shikamaru?" Naruto was suddenly at my side, Haku and Choji hovering behind him. "Didn't quite catch that." He attempted a half-hearted smile.

I repeated my mumbling, but didn't make an effort to say it any louder.

"Yuki's fine." Choji tried this time. "Her pride's a little hurt, but nothing else."

I didn't respond, I didn't really care at this point.

"Now she's off your back at least." It was Haku's turn. "You can concentrate on someone else now."

For all the happiness I should have been feeling, I was miserable. Not because I just hurt the most troublesome woman I ever met, or even that Mom was going to freak about the coffee table. I wasn't even sure why I was so miserable, but I knew nothing the guys said would help.

"Nara Shikamaru, what is going on!" My parents stood next to the open door.

The whole of Hell is coming for me...And the Devil with it.


	11. Misgivings

**Notes-**I need to be nice to my readers so I'm updating quickly! That and I finally finished another project I was working on that took some of my attention.

Still loving reviews! Nice ones, mean ones, I don't really care.  


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I had a lot of time after the party to think about what had happened. A lot of time for the memories of the procession out the door to haunt me.

My mother had decided that even if she was angry at me, I had to be polite and say goodbye to all my guests as they left.

It was blur except for a few key peoples. A few, Neji included, smiled on the way out, happy that I had stood up for myself and shown the girls they weren't all us men cared about. Even more just looked at me sadly, not saying a word as they left. More even either glared or ignored me. Ino and Sakura fit into the last one. On their way out the door Ino sent me her worst glare, one reserved for whoever got close to Sasuke, while Sakura pointedly ignored me. In between the two Yuki sent me a quick hurt look before returning her eyes to the ground. My friends opened their mouths to say something, but all decided against it.

Kiba was the only one to stop and say anything to me. For once he had no smile plastered to his face. His eyes were dark. "I know you didn't-couldn't- like her, but dude, that was a little harsh." He whispered. Had I hurt him as well as Yuki? I wondered sadly about that for awhile as well.

I was forced to clean up the mess, but for once I didn't complain. The mess my life had become was much worse and not nearly as easy to clean up.

My thoughts roamed through the evening while I methodically picked up the splintered table and swept up the trash. First Yuki had assumed I loved her-and kissed me for it- before the party. Kiba had seen that. With barely a start my mind registered that both me and Yuki had gotten what we wanted and had that happiness broken all in the same night. It was some party...

Most of the night up until the spin the bottle was simply boring after that. It was the usual party, music, junk food, and Kiba hitting on every girl in sight.

Then the cursed spin the bottle. I didn't want to think about it, but the overlapping memories of Kiba's lips and Yuki's both on mine wouldn't leave. As I thought about it, the differences between the two seemed to jump out at me.

Kiba's lips, though they had barely touched mine, were chapped and natural. They were pulled tighter, used to being in a smile. His hand had rested on my waist at the time and had been playing with the hem of my shirt. I might have imagined it, but now it seemed that Kiba had stayed in close to my face for just a second after parting to fully pull away.

Yuki on the other hand had not hidden the fact she wanted to keep the kiss going. She'd held me as close as she possible could, her arms locked in position around my neck. Her lips had been fully on mine, unlike with Kiba, and her tongue had been wanting attention. She had more lip than Kiba, and they had been softer and more well kept. Her kisses, both of them, had tasted of strawberries.

When I was finally allowed to get to bed I had realized I was sorry about Yuki. I was glad she knew I didn't like her in the way she liked me, but I wanted to apologize it had to be the way it did. I doubted that I could ever get close enough to her to say that. I'd be lucky if Ino and Sakura ever deemed me worthy of speech again.

I had nightmares that night, or at least I thought they were nightmares. Over and over I held Kiba in my arms, only to have him laugh cruelly and change into Yuki. Over and over she smothered me in kisses before my anger got the best of me and I pushed her to the ground. After that it was always different. Some times she hit her head and bled to death. Other times everyone left me and I went crazy. Others still everyone glared daggers at me, literally, and I myself died.

Every time I woke gasping for air, guilt twisting my intestines into knots.

The worst was when Yuki changed back into Kiba after she fell, and it was Kiba that looked up at me with tears in his eyes, hurt written all over his face. It was then I woke screaming.

Kiba liked Yuki. By hurting Yuki had I...

Had I lost Kiba?


	12. Aftermath

Going to school after the disaster of a party had to be harder than getting up that morning.

And getting up on any morning is so troublesome I wish I didn't have to do it.

I almost skipped school so I wouldn't have to face anyone today.

But then I would have been in even worse trouble with my mother, so that was out.

"Hey Shika." Choji waved as he did every morning, a bag of chips in his big hands as always. I barely waved a hand in response. Concern flashed through his eyes, but my unwillingness to even think about last night must be clear because he didn't say anything about it. Instead he asked if I wanted any chips. A sure sign that he was worried about me.

"No thanks Choji," I declined, trying at a smile, "I'm fine, really, just tired. Mom wouldn't let me get any sleep last night. Troublesome woman." I added the last purely for Choji's purpose. That's what I always say, if I didn't he would get even more worried.

Choji will make a great father one day. Something so true, and that's always mentioned whenever my dad and his got together to drink and brag about us.

"Hey Ino!" Choji happily waved to the blond as she stepped out onto the street in front of us.

"Morning Choji." I flinched in the silence where she usually said my name. She sent me a look instead; one that said she wasn't planning on having anything to do with me anytime soon so there was no point in talking to her.

I sighed. This was going to be a hard day. Or semester, knowing the girls.

Class wasn't much better. The only peoples who talked to me were Choji, Naruto and Haku, which meant I spent a lot of time by myself getting dirty looks. Naruto and Haku were known to disappear in order to do boyfriend stuff and Choji's girlfriend was on the side against me, so he couldn't be with me and her at the same time. I was sure she was trying to convince him to pick between me and her. With him in mind I hoped he'd pick her if that happened. He'd be less miserable that way.

The room hushed, the silence was eerie, when Yuki came in. She glanced up when everyone stopped talking and blushed to find all eyes on her. Ino and Sakura rushed protectively to her side. I sighed and put my head on the desk, deciding that, if anything, I was going to get the sleep I had been deprived of last night.

I was glad when the final bell rang and the day ended. Without a word to anyone I left the school grounds. I didn't really want to go home and face the wrath of my parents, but the punishment for the party involved just that. I just walked very slowly.

Days past in this same pattern, then weeks. School was nearing the end of the term and spring break was coming up. More and more peoples had finally gotten over the big party incident, though none of the ones that really mattered.

Kiba had made a point of talking with Yuki whenever her entourage allowed it. I even noticed the glances at me that usually followed these conversations. It hurt to even imagine what the two could be saying about me.

Finally, after Mom had gotten stopped my punishment and I was allowed to have what little life as she thought I'd earned back, I figured it was time to do something about my problem. With a resolve that I was unused to I decided that I should at least try to apologize to Yuki like I'd wanted to for so long. And that I had to do it before school was let out.

I wasn't going to go to Haku for advice this time.

I spent the next couple of days planning. This had to be done carefully and stealthily, I couldn't let Ino and Sakura find out about it. That would just ruin the attempt.

In the end I didn't like the plan I came up with. It was almost too simple and could go wrong in so many ways. I'd decided to just attempt a simple note in her shoe locker and hope that she would show up to talk to me. If all went well Ino and Sakura would never read and get to tell her not to see me. If all went well Yuki would listen to me this time and let me say what I want and not just assume.

Because I planned to make it look like a confession so Ino and Sakura would be less suspicious of it.


	13. Talking With Yuki

Sometimes panic was a good thing. Peoples panic when they left their work late so the panic makes them get to work. Some peoples panicked when they got a bad grade because their parents are likely to get after them, so they work harder after that.

My panic wasn't a good thing. My panic seemed to be making the world spin faster than it was supposed to. My panic was cutting off my airways so it was all I could do not to gasp. My panic made me jump every time the girls' voices floated across the room.

I really needed this to get over with.

I really needed to just apologize to Yuki; otherwise I don't know what I would do.

Why was the day going by so damn slowly?

It felt like the day should already be over but it was only second period. Lunchtime seemed so far off I wanted to scream. Instead I kept a careful, desperate, eye on Yuki, hoping for a sign, a glance, anything to let me know she even got my note.

I got nothing. And it was killing me.

"You okay Shikamaru?" Choji's concerned whisper broke me out of my trance. I hadn't realized I had actually been tearing the skin off my hand. "You look like something's bothering you."

I looked at Choji and saw his thoughts as clearly as if they were written across his forehead. He thought that I was angry with him, that I hated that he was spending so much time with his girlfriend. He had been spending a lot of time with her, they were coming up to their five month anniversary, and everyone knew that type of stuff is important to the girls.

"I'm fine, just anxious." I said truthfully, seeing no reason to lie to Choji.

"Anxious?"

"For lunch. I'm doing something at lunch, and the day seems to be dragging on and on. What time is it?" I looked at the clock for the fifth time in about three minutes.

"I thought I was the only one who ever got excited over lunch." Choji laughed quietly, avoiding the teacher's attention. I knew he was struggling to be polite and not barge into my business. _You can always count on Choji to not ask the wrong questions_.

I decided not to tell him I was in no way excited about what I had to do. "You're the only one who bothers to get excited about having time to eat, everyone else just cares that there's no teaching being done then."

"True."

And then the bell rang. My head shot up to look at the clock, amazed at how much time had passed while talking to Choji. Happiness flooded through me because I didn't have to wait anymore, then horror that I wasn't sure what the hell I was going to say to Yuki.

If she even turned up...

I tried my best to catch Yuki's eye as I casually strolled out of the classroom. Just as I turned the corner I think I saw her eyes flash in my direction, but I couldn't be sure. I wasn't even too sure about how that possible sign affected my feelings. It might have sparked hope, or it might have deepened the dread I felt deep in my gut. Either way I concentrated on making my way to the yard of our school building.

With a quick glance around I decided the best spot would be near the edge of a small copse of trees. It was open enough that there could be witnesses, but private as well, so peoples who might be searching for the blonde would be less likely to catch her with me. The whole business of worrying about who might see her with me and what they might think was enough to make me too nervous to eat.

Then I heard the small cough from off to the side.

I had to force myself not to turn too quickly and to just start blabbering on. Instead I took a deep breath and said her name. "Yuki."

"Shikamaru." She returned quietly. I realized she had come alone. She answered my question before I had time to put it to words though, "I figured Ino and Sakura wouldn't exactly let you say whatever you might want to, so I didn't tell them about this."

"Yes, well, I guess that's also part of the reason I haven't talked to you before now..." I was at a loss for words. All that careful planning, the list of what I wanted to say to her, how I planned to say it, all gone to waste because now my mind was wiped clean.

"They did get rather protective didn't they?"

Silence. It was agonizing.

"Shikamaru-"

"I'm sorry." I blurted it out! Just like that! I had a quick flash of how I had blurted out that I was gay to my father. I got the same feeling now as I did then. The feeling I had just done something I might possibly regret.

"What..." I don't know what she was expecting from me, but it seems it wasn't that. It wasn't even what I was expecting.

"For the party." I tried to explain it, but the words seemed to be getting caught in my throat and the ones I managed to force out didn't seem quite right. "I..." Gods above, I hated how awkward I sounded.

I took a couple deep breathes to calm my rising panic and hopefully get my mouth under control. "I didn't mean to do what I did, at the party," I said slowly, "but I don't necessarily wish I'd never done it."

Tears pricked at her eyes, I could see that much, but other than that Yuki betrayed nothing to me. Quiet as a stone she watched me, waiting for more.

"I mean, I, I don't..." I had to stop again. Why had I added that last part? How stupid was that? Have I ever done something that dumb before? I don't think I have.

"I think I'll leave now." I looked up quickly upon hearing those words. This wasn't how this was supposed to go. Yuki gave me one last look before turning around. I couldn't tell if those green eyes were filled with anger or sadness.

"I'm gay." This was the third person I'd just blurted this out to without thinking and about the sixth thing I'd just blurted out today, to this one girl. I think something was wrong with me.

Either way it was enough for Yuki to stop dead in her tracks and look at me. Surprise made up her whole face. Her perfectly kept lips open in an unattractive 'O'.

"I-I'm gay..." I repeated in a surprised whisper of my own.

_Why did this one bothersome girl cause me so much trouble?_


	14. Aftermath Strikes Again

To say it poetically, it seemed an eternity had come and gone before Yuki turned to face me again.

"You're...gay..." She repeated the words as if I was the one who didn't understand them.

Desperation started to bubble through my veins. _Yeah, isn't it so incredibubble! _I pushed the hysterical voice away before any such nonsense could be pushed pasted my lips, which were unfortunately very loose today. As the bubbly blood fueled my brain it gave up flashes of what this very blond and that very secret had put me through.

Like the time with Kiba.

The party.

The kisses.

This overly awkward moment I didn't know how to fix.

The kisses.

And being basically alienated for all that time.

"I-I mean- "

"Do you think-" We started at the same time. She glanced at me and I saw a hint of the same feeling I was experiencing.

"What?"

"Could we...maybe, talk later. After school or something." _I need time to realize my crush would only like me if I changed in the same room as him for gym class. _She didn't add that last bit. She didn't need to.

"Sure. Here?" One word at a time. Just get through it one word at a time.

"Yeah." She turned her green eyes to the ground. Blue hair fell in around her, blocking her face from view. "Um, can I... Can I talk to anyone, about this? About...you?"

"Choji, Haku, Naruto or Kiba, yeah." As a side thought I wondered how Kiba knew. I hadn't told him, and Haku would have let me know if Naruto's stupidity got the best of him in front of someone. Oh well, that was for another time.

"No one else?" She peeked at me, curious about how I would act. I was actually relieved she'd asked. At least she would know I don't want Sakura and Ino in on this, not yet anyway. Who knows about later.

"Please." And that was it. She gave a small nod, only noticeable by the movement of her hair before turning to go back to the classroom and eat her own lunch.

Meanwhile I waited until she was out of view and then collapsed on the ground in a heap of satisfaction. I'd done what I set out to do. Yuki might possibly have forgiven me.

But I told her I was gay.

And that she might not forgive so easily. Knowing girls anyway.

The bell rang, ending the torment I was putting myself through. I had to go to class and save the problem with Yuki until the end of the day.

-----------------------------

"Yuki…" I sighed in relief upon seeing her slumped against the school wall, "You came."

She looked at me as I walked toward her. To my surprise a wave of nervousness washed over me. I slowed down, suddenly not sure if I really wanted to know how she would react to my confession; even after an afternoon to contemplate it. Unfortunately she was one of the peoples I didn't know well enough to read easily. I didn't know how she was feeling.

And then she looked away.

She didn't say a word. She didn't do anything to give me the slightest hint on what she was thinking or even if she could forgive me for what I might have put her through.

She just looked away and…left.

I couldn't move to go after her; I couldn't even bring myself to speak, to demand an answer, an explanation, anything. I just stared after her as she walked away. I just stared at where she left, seemingly rooted to the spot, until it took Naruto's annoyingly squeaky voice to make me come out of shock long enough to remember how to move me feet.

"What are you doing over there Shikamaru?" The blonde yelled from the other side of the school fence.

"Nothing." I mumbled, numbly shoving one foot in front of the other.

"You okay Shikamaru?" Choji asked in that concerned way of his.

I forced a smile, "I'm fine, just a little tired." I yawned to help my façade. Though I can't say I'm all that fine inside, using up all my brain's energy trying to understand Yuki.

I can't say that I think Choji believed me, there was still a gleam of concern in his eyes despite his smile. But he left it alone.

Good old Choji, you can always count on him. That was why I don't think he even has a rival, let alone enemies. One thing peoples love about, though I'm not sure they even notice it, is that he's so predictable. It's that very predictability that makes Choji so easy to be friends with.

Why can't girls be that easy to read?

Why can't they just let things go like Choji does?

Forgive and forget, you know…


	15. Serious Doesn't Suit You

"And I was like _Fuck off bastard, no need to be jealous just because he's prettier then you are!_" Naruto burst out laughing at his own story, completely ruining any serene atmosphere the café may have had.

"That's not how it went Naruto." Haku gently scolded his boyfriend. "He was the one who said that, and then you…" Haku proceeded to retell the story, supposedly how it had actually gone.

I wasn't listening; I don't even think I could have.

Why? Why hadn't Yuki said anything? Why had she asked to talk to me after school and then just leave? Why did she wait for me to get there, then not say even a word?

I was used to my mom, but this goes beyond even her logic.

What could Yuki possibly be thinking?

"I seriously think we should leave him here and see how long it takes him to notice." Naruto announced, partially waking me from my thoughts. "And we should leave him the bill." Obviously I'd been spaced out for the whole of Haku's retelling.

"But that would be mean." Choji glanced at me as he wrung his hands. I was sure he was contemplating different ways to help me out if Naruto decided to go through with his course of action.

"Exactly. We need to get back at him somehow for ignoring us all afternoon."

"No we don't. He just has something on his mind. That's not a crime."

"Just c'mon Choji."

I managed to force open my eyes just in time to see Naruto forcibly dragging Choji out the door.

"Troublesome?" An overly familiar growl came from over my head, speaking the very thought I had just been about to say myself.

It was none other than Kiba.

How had I forgotten he worked here after school?

I grunted as I sat up and stretched. "What?"

"That's what you were going to say right? You were ditched by your friends and all." With nothing more than his usual smile Kiba sat in the seat across from me. I looked him over for a second as I wondered what he was doing.

"Shouldn't you be working?"

"I'm on break."

"Oh."

Silence. I'd always wondered how peoples could think a silence was awkward; I mean I'd always loved them. There were no annoying peoples talking to you when it was silence.

I knew what they meant now.

"Hey Shikamaru," Kiba was the one to break the silence. I was glad, though usually thinking of something to say wasn't that hard, right now it was. My mind was strangely blank around Kiba, and my throat seemed to puff up until words would only block off my air passage.

"What?"

"Have you…figured out that thing with Yuki yet?" He asked quietly. And he was serious about it. For once, Kiba wasn't even smiling.

"No, I haven't."

"You should. If you don't I don't think any of the girls will ever even think about talking to you again. I'm pretty sure Choji's girlfriend hates you enough that she's forever beyond you."

That wouldn't be a bad thing, to have none of the girls talk to me ever again. I just think I could live with that. "Funny." But Choji's girlfriend does hate me. I've taken away her Cho-chan for extended periods of time and hurt a fellow female. Wow, I must be really evil in her eyes.

"No Shika, it's not." Kiba barked. My head shot up to look him in the eyes, and despite the seriousness of his voice, there was the slightest laugh in his eyes. "The female population greatly out numbers the male one, and, despite a small number of guys like you, they have ways to influence our minds into thinking what they do. If they wanted to they could turn the whole world against you!"

I couldn't hold in the small snort that came rushing up my wind pipe.

"Finally," Kiba smiled at me from across the table, the gesture instantly shoving any and all thoughts of anything Yuki related to the back of my mind, "You don't look like you have to find a way to save the world or something. Everyone was wondering what could possibly be bothering _you _of all peoples that much!"

"Is that all? I guess its good then." I muttered, vaguely trying to decide whether I was happy with that comment or not.

"What?"

"Being serious really doesn't suit you Kiba."

In response he treated me to the goofiest dog-like smile a human being could create.

I absolutely loved it.


	16. Freedom

**NOTES-** For my own personal satisfaction, i have to apologize to all my readers for taking so long to update and for the fact that 16 chapters have gone by without much happening between the main couple...And I don't know what to say without giving somethings away! Anyway, thanks to everyone who's still reading it after all this and I'll work on getting something to happen. Kay? I love reviews, they make my day, and I don't care what you have to say as long as you say it.

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I sat up straight in my chair and stretched, trying not to be too conscious of Kiba sitting across from me. I didn't spare him a glance as I picked up the bill some waitress had dropped off after noticing Choji and Naruto had run off. "Damn." I muttered. It was a lot, and after the life ruining party, Mom had severely cut my allowance.

I'll have to see if I can get some money back from Naruto afterwords. It was his fault after all.

"They leave you a huge bill?"

"Yeah, and I think Naruto did it on purpose too. Think I can pay it though."

"Good, 'cause I can't spot you any money right now."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in his direction, "I thought you were the one with the illegal job."

"It's not against the law, just school rules." Kiba protested, "And so what? Maybe I'm saving up for something and can't spare any money on you."

"Ouch." I gave him a smile, though it wasn't all that funny. "So what would you be saving up for?"

"Nothing that amazing. Besides," He put a finger up in front of his lips, "it's a secret that nobodies allowed to know about till I get it."

"If it's not amazing, why can't anybody know about it?"

"Because I decided that." It was almost female logic coming out of Kiba's mouth, but I got it without much thinking, so it couldn't possibly be that.

A waitress came over to our table, and I counted out the money I would have to pay her. "Are you getting anything this time Kiba? Or are you just mooching of your friend here, since the rest of us have learned not to get you anything?" She smiled charmingly, and it wasn't surprising that Kiba smiled back.

"I'm insulted that you think I _mooch_! I'm merely making sure you all know your lessons in _sharing_."

"Well, we're all sick of your _sharing _then." And it went on. Before I knew it the girl, Tae, had sat down and was deep in conversation with Kiba. The two talked about things I wasn't in on, and as if I wasn't there. I could've left and neither of them would have noticed.

And that's just what I did.

I sat for awhile and tried to listen, and occasionally one of the two would ask me a question about something or other, but I was ignored for most of it. I did try to sit through, to be polite as Mom would want me to, but it was just to long a conversation. What I can only guess was a good time I finally stood up, dropped the money I owed the café and walked straight out the door without looking back.

I walked the streets at random, not really going anywhere, but not going home. I was still reveling in the slight freedom of being able to stay out until dinner and not have to worry so much about my mothers rage when I got home. I even walked through the mall for awhile, though I usually hated that place with a passion. Eventually that got on my nerves and I returned to the streets again.

Without Kiba to take my mind to strange places my thoughts fell back to Yuki.

What was she thinking about my accidental confession? Why hadn't she said anything? Would she tell anyone?

…Would she tell anyone?

That hadn't occurred to me until just then. If Yuki hated me for that, for what happened, even how it happened, nothing would stop her from telling Ino or Sakura.

And that was my worst nightmare in itself. There was nothing Ino wouldn't do with that kind of information. She could tell everyone, and there would go all my anonymity in the 'love scene' or she could even use it as a basis for those nasty rumors she spreads around about peoples who get on the bad side of her. Most likely it was the kind of thing Ino would hold over my head, until being her slave drove me insane or I admitted it to the world myself.

Oh shit.

And when I looked up I found myself in front of Ino's house. Why would I be here?

I didn't want to stay and find out.

I turned around, and came face to face with the dreaded blond herself.

"Shikamaru." She said, having decided that saying my name and acknowledging I was there wouldn't go against the fact she still hated me.

"Ino."

"What do you want?" I could plainly hear the spite in her voice. It went very well with her ice cold eyes.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you here?"

I shrugged, seeing as I honestly didn't know why, in my preoccupied state, I had come to stop in front of _her_ house. She didn't believe it.

"Yuki's not here."

That surprised me. I knew Yuki was likely to tell Ino, but not that quickly.

"She told me about that you talked with her. She's not here anymore." Ino said indifferently before she pushed past me to go into her house.

That was the most Ino's said to me in a month…

"Should I apologize to you too, like I did with Yuki?" I didn't bother to turn around and face her. She'd answer me, or maybe not, whether I did or not. It'd be a waste of energy, and this way I don't have to look at her.

"Why would you do that, you moron." She breathed. I barely heard it, it was so low. "It's Yuki you keep hurting not me; I'm just trying to stop you from hurting her even more."

There was the clack of a door shutting and I was alone in the street again. I started for home, suddenly tired of my newfound freedom.

"It's not like I mean to hurt Yuki, she just keeps misunderstanding and getting in the way."


	17. The Trials Of Morning

"Nara Shikamaru, why do we have to do this everyday? Get out of bed!" Mom's screech cut through my dreaming bliss like scissors through paper. The ringing in my ears and the sudden burst of white when I opened my eyes sent stabs of pain through my head. No possibly good day started with a headache this bad.

As I did every morning I grunted, rolled over and promptly went back to sleep.

"Get out of bed." Mom kicked me; actually kicked me until I was forced to roll away or risk a week's worth of bruising. Unfortunately I ran out of bed before I could get out of her devil reach. "Now."

Nothing good ever came from the sun coming back up once it sets, I decided. Hopefully, one of these days it will decide it likes the other side of the world and not come back. Would we still have to go to school of it was always dark out?

"Getting out of bed is followed by getting ready for the day." Mom wasn't even in they room, how could know I was still on the floor? I asked logically, and then stopped; logic didn't apply to females…

Before she could come in and kick me again I hauled my lazy butt out of my tangle of sheets and set off for the bathroom. "You know you can't go to school with your hair looking like that." Mom started to fuss over my head, oblivious to my protests of pain as she yanked mercilessly. "It's school rules and you know it."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Yes, mom." She corrected with a cuff to the head just before finishing with a snap; I swear she must have ripped at least a dozen hairs right out of my scalp.

Seeing a momentary lapse in her grip I slipped out of reach and made my way into the kitchen for some well needed breakfast and aspirins. Breakfast was but a minute of chewing on something or other, but when I reached for the pain-killers I blinked and they were gone.

"You can't have drugs this early in the morning." Of course it was Mom.

"But-"

"No." From her voice it was meant to be final. With a sigh I let her have her way. It was easier to just get some from someone at school than fight her. "Now," She continued a moment later, "Here's your lunch money. Walk fast or you'll be late. Have a good day." And she gave me a kiss on the forehead.

Wasn't she mad at me just a second ago?

As usual Choji was munching on his favorite chips when I got to the crossroads between our houses. Sometimes I wondered why he waited for me; I was the only thing between him and perfect attendance.

"Hey," His brows instantly furrowed when I screwed up my face as the flash of pain in my temple. "Do you have any aspirin?"

"No," He said as he patted a couple pockets, "but I should have some Ibuprofen at school."

"Same thing." I think that was the first time I had a reason other than Choji to want to get to school as soon as possible.

"Choji!" His girlfriend latched onto him the moment he entered the general area of the school; like a leech or something equally as lecherous.

"Morning," he gave a quick kiss on the cheek. Observing the tender, loving look that passed between them I couldn't tell if I really hated her that much, in that moment anyway. She made my big friend so happy, that much was hard to miss, and as his friend I couldn't truly hate anyone who could do that. Though at that very moment I was more than a little annoyed with the sweet little gazes that passed between them and the shy smiles as they cuddled.

"Did you understand that math homework last night?" She cooed. As happy as she made him, she was still a she, and therefore was using him to some degree for her whims.

"I think so, though it was a little hard." He was being nice, it was obvious. Though Choji was no mathlete he worked hard enough to know what he was doing. No doubt he knew what he was doing for last night's homework.

What was last night's homework?

"Really? You think you could help me then, before class?" She batted her eyelashes and leaned in close.

Choji didn't stand a chance. As happy as I was for Choji, I couldn't stand to see the two of them together for anything close to an extended period of time. I gave a small awkward cough and regretted it. Choji looked at me, but it took some time before his love filled look went away, leaving my best friend turning those eyes on me. I shuffled awkwardly. He didn't notice it in the slightest, when he snapped out of it, and reality returned to his world. "Just a sec, kay? I need to get something for Shikamaru."

He barely managed o throw me the bottle of pain-killers before the girl took over his mind again. So far, this day had yet to prove it was worth paying attention to.

"Hey Shikamaru." When one annoyance left another always came to take its place.

"Naruto." It would take at least another ten minutes for the Ibuprofen to kick in.

"Have you seen Haku? He seemed a little weird on MSN last night; I wanted to make sure he was okay."

"Just got here." I reminded, not trying to hide the small growl in my voice; every word that came out of the blonde's mouth sent a jolt of pain behind my left eye.

"Guess that's a no…" He glanced around, spotted someone else, probably someone more informative, and skipped away.

The bell rang before the hyperactive boy had made it to three peoples and peoples slowly made their way to their desks. I fell heavily into my own seat before watching my friends file in. Shino, Sasuke, followed by his mob of followers. Kiba sauntered in, swaying his hips in that way of his, but of course he had a woman on his arm. Just like Choji, when he finally came in, lips stretched in a goofy smile as he listened to something his girlfriend had to say.

"Looks like we have two delinquents who deemed school not worth their time." Iruka-sensei joked when it became apparent three desks were empty. School wasn't worth anybodies time, so why were we all here when those three peoples didn't have to be?

Haku and someone I didn't know, I listed off in my head. They were the only ones I hadn't seen come through the door or sit down. Naruto had talked about how Haku had seemed weird. Most likely sick

"Does anyone know about Haku?" All eyes turned to Naruto. It wasn't hard to see how stricken he was about the missing information.

"I don't know…" He mumbled. The poor boy fidgeted, and continued even after everyone had looked away.

"No one? Then what about…" I automatically tuned out as the conversation veered off in a direction I didn't care about. What was the point in wasting valuable energy on something that didn't matter to me in the least?

The morning flew by at the same sluggish crawl it usually did. The teacher droned constantly in the background as my thoughts wandered. Passing through my usual thought routes, I ended up where I always seemed to; gazing at Kiba and predicting what was on the notes he was passing. By the twitch of the lips from the red head in the corner it was something funny, or perhaps a compliment, judging by the glance she sent him before scribbling a reply.

I kind of wished he would take the time to write me one of those notes.

That was insane, an idea not even worth entertaining.

The smallest of clicks penetrated my self-induced silence. Looking around I don't think anyone else noticed the petit sound. I watched as the door slid open. Who came to school just before lunch break? And when I say just before, I mean it; there's only about five minutes left of class.

"Sorry I was late." The whisper brought the full attention of the class to the opened door.

"Well, thank you for finally joining us, Haku." The teacher called. Anyone who wasn't already looking in that direction immediately turned.

"Sorry for disrupting the class."

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Please review, it makes my day. Or message me if you want, i love it when peoples talk to me :D


	18. Break Up

**NOTES-**For not updating in so long, I give you a longer chapter than usual! So please review and let me know what you think!!

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"What's wrong with you, Haku?" Naruto pleaded to his boyfriend, "You've been like this all day…" He trailed off. Even he couldn't be stupid enough to miss the look in Haku's eye.

I exchanged a look with the worried Choji; this couldn't be good for our friends. It was only lunch time and still Haku had barely said two words to Naruto. Usually, if you counted the notes that continually passed between them during class, there was barely a couple seconds when they weren't talking to each other. Constant communication. Only now did Haku finally pay the blond any attention and he looked as if someone had stolen all his luck and it had come to bite him in the butt over and over again.

"Haku, Haku please…" Naruto's voice came out as a high pitched whine as he begged. With a sigh that practically screamed he didn't want to do this Haku gingerly took his boyfriends hand and led him away.

"They're breaking up aren't they?" Choji whispered when the couple disappeared from view.

"Seems like it." I wandered over to a wall and used it as a back rest while I got comfortable. Choji wouldn't leave until he knew what was wrong with our two friends and that they were alright. Who knew how long those two would take.

"Are they going to hate each other?" Choji worried. He did that a lot. At the moment, it was obvious he was taking what he knew about break-ups from Ino's problematic love life.

I thought that over. It was a hard question to answer with my own non-existent experience in relationships. "I don't think so." I answered finally. "I think they'll be the kind of peoples who love each other even after it didn't work out." If only Yuki was that kind of person, I added to myself, maybe then my involvement with her wouldn't be quite so complicated.

"So this won't ruin the four of us?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Shikamaru?"

I was forced to open my eyes in order to give Choji the look I wanted to. I certainly couldn't get my rest with him quizzing me like this. "What?"

"Nevermind…" He mumbled, looking away under my gaze. He seemed intent on tying his fingers in knots.

I sat up a litter straighter to show I was at least listening, "What?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry that I'm bothering you." Good old Choji could be annoying at times.

"What was it Choji?" He opened his mouth and I knew another protest was coming, so I cut him off, "You're not bothering me."

He pursed his lips for a moment as he organized his thoughts, "Still loving someone even though you can't have them…" He started slowly. He paused again, then looked up to look at me directly. "Is that…how you feel about the guy you like?"

What a troublesome question…it wasn't one with an easy answer, so I even had to stop and think about it for a moment, "I guess." I said after a length, "but it's different for them than for me."

"It is?"  
Troublesome, troublesome. "Yeah," I rested my head back against the wall. "For them, it's giving up something they already had, like giving your favorite toy to someone who needs it more than you. I'm just looking in the window at something I want."

"So you're not even in the store?" He asked, seemingly getting my analogy.

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Because mom would kill me if I was."

"You haven't told her?"

"Nope." I could feel the very thought of my mothers unwanted attention adding tension to my shoulders. "and I doubt Dad did either." The man was whipped. He's no doubt learned by now not to tell my mom what she doesn't want to hear.

Choji's knowing smile broke his earlier depression. "You're that scared of your own mom?"

"She'd castrate me if she found out about this."

And Choji snorted, "Is she that desperate to have straight children that she'd make you female cause you like guys?"

"She's that desperate for grandkids." I said simply.

Choji couldn't hold back anymore. He let out a monstrous guffaw that bought us strange stares from everyone around. Even when he quieted the laughing to just snickers he was vibrating from the force of it. Never knew my mom was that funny.

"You can still have kids if your gay. You just gotta adopt or whatever." Me and Choji looked up to see Kiba standing over us.

"Hey Kiba." Choji shuffled closer to me so the third boy could join us on the floor.

"Hey Choji." He replied out of courtesy, then leaned around my big friend to look at me. "Hey Shikamaru?"

"What?"

"Is your mom the only reason you're staying the closet?"

"No."

"What other reason is there?"

"Ino."

Kiba pursed his lips a second as he thought over that answer. Finally he shook his head in defeat. "Judging by how much she hates you right now, that's probably a good idea"

He leaned back against the wall when no one said anything, but even then the room was far from quiet. It was never quiet in the classroom. There was always someone talking or rustling paper or tapping on their desk, even during class when supposedly the teacher's all you should hear.

I blocked out all the other noised with practiced ease. I heard them so often I could imagine them perfectly when I'm alone, if I wanted to. Instead I listened to the voice in my head that went over my life when I choose to ponder it. Today it was contemplating all my recent run-ins with the object of my affections. Lately there'd been a lot of those.

'Hey Kiba," he grunted, so I continued, "How'd you know I was gay? I don't remember telling you."

He was silent, which rewarded him with two pairs of eyes regarding him curiously. His eyes flicked towards us for barely a second before he looked away. "You didn't." was all he said.

I shared a glance with Choji and asked him again, "So how'd you know?"

"I just recognized the signs. I…I have a friend who went through this too. That's all."

"Who's this friend? Do we know him?" It was just the type of question Choji would ask.

"You don't." He said a fraction of a second too quickly. A flag went up in my mind that made me wonder about what he said, but he made sense and I had no reason to doubt him, so I left it alone.

Choji started to say something, no doubt about this mysterious friend, when Haku walked back in the room. He looked worse than when he left, which was a feat in itself. He didn't even look down at us when he passed. Choji instinctively reached out to comfort him.

Naruto needed him so much more.

While Haku had caught our attention, Naruto's gloom affected everyone in the vicinity of the door. After being watched all the way from the door to us, he put on his best scowl and glared around until everyone looked away, aware for their own safety. The scowl looked funny against his red eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Naruto…"Choji breathed before jumping up and wrapping his friend in his arms. Naruto hesitated, wanting to accept the comfort for all it was worth, but his pride wouldn't let him stay in that position too long.

"Haku broke up with me." The blond announced passionlessly when he managed to battle his way out of Choji's hug, "He said Zabuza's coming back, so it was better to end things now."

Oh. That explained a lot. Zabuza was an older student that had been held back multiple times. Him and Haku had been really, and I mean really, close before he'd been arrested last year. It was a small charge, with a small punishment. I guess he was finally getting out.

"Zabuza huh?" I tried to let my sympathy show, but I'm not completely worked, "I wonder how old that guy is now."

"Shikamaru!" I know Choji thought I was putting salt on the wound.

"Sorry Naruto." When that didn't appease Choji, I decided to follow Kiba's earlier suit and left. After a quick scan of everyone in the room, I made a beeline for the only interesting one, Haku.

"Shikamaru." There wasn't the smallest hint of happiness of any kind in his voice.

"Haku." I grabbed the seat in front of him and spun it around. "Naruto tells us Zabuza was coming back." Everyone would be after Haku for information once news got out, so I might as well see if I could beat them to it.

"Yeah, he is." There was no mistaking the dreamy look in the others eyes as he thought about it.

"So how old is Zabuza now?" I asked before I lost the shorter boy for the rest of the lunch period. "He has to be about twenty now right?"

Haku blushed, "Yeah, just about." We sat in silence for a moment, and this time Haku was the one to break it, "Do…do you think they'll put him in our class?" He looked so hopeful.

"Probably not." I had to work to ignore the way his face absolutely fell apart. "He left last year remember? He'll be in a grade below us."

"Oh yeah." He gave a weak smile, "That'll be weird won't it?"

"Mostly for him. All the peoples he knows are upperclassmen."

That got a laugh from him and I smiled along. I might be lazy as hell, but even I hated to see my friends so down. Of course, I knew he was still sad, but I liked knowing I had helped and that it wasn't so bad he couldn't laugh.

Before anything else could be said we were interrupted by the sharp sound of a ruler against the desk. Ibiki-sensei stood in front of the class now, demanding the attention he needed to teach. "Shut up. It's class now! We have a field trip to talk about!"


	19. Field Trip 1

"Isn't this going to be fun, Shikamaru?" Choji worked to push his way through the crush of students to get to me. With a sigh I stopped threading my own way to the buses so he could catch up.

"You're not going to sit with your girlfriend?"

"I-is that okay?" It was tiresome to always have to tell Choji that I don't care if he wants to spend time with his girl. Just because I hated them, doesn't mean there's any connection to his life...or at least not in the sense of his girlfriend; I'm sure my preferences affected him in some obscure way or another.

"Yeah, I don't care. I'll probably just sit with Naruto, since Haku's with Zabuza."

"Oh yeah…" Choji gave one last smile in my direction and started pushing his way to his girlfriend.

I shrugged off the tone of his voice. He's been like that since two weeks before, when Haku cut off his relationship with Naruto. Zabuza, Haku's first real love, had gotten out of jail after a year and wanted to give him and Haku another chance, hoping they were still as strong as they were before. Because of this Haku couldn't continue his relationship with Naruto, though he wanted too. Zabuza just meant more to him than Naruto.

Naruto was hurt, everyone could tell, but being the moron he was he still hid it behind a smile. "Hey Shikamaru!" He called over the crowd. "Are you looking forward to going to this museum?"

"It's so troublesome. Why are we being forced to go to somewhere like this?"

"Aww, come one Shikamaru! Sure it's a boring old museum, but the teachers aren't even going to look after us. We can do whatever we want!"

"And what are you planning to do with a day in a museum?" I asked nonchalantly as we finally maneuvered ourselves into some available bus seats. I smirked when he couldn't come up with an answer, then I turned to the window as the bus started to roll forward.

Two weeks ago the answer would have been right on his nose, and he would have seen it too. No one else would have though. A week ago Naruto would have snuck away with Haku and done boyfriend things all day. Now, no one knew.

"What about you Shikamaru? What are you going to do all day?" Naruto just couldn't deal with silence could he?

"Find a nice bench and take a nap." I said bluntly.

"All day?"

"Yep."

"Isn't that boring?"

"Nope."

My smirk got a fraction bigger as Naruto huffed. The seat shifted slightly as the blond hunkered down for the most boring bus ride of his life.

As expected the gravity centered around my eyes increased as the ride went on and before long I couldn't keep then open. My eyes fluttered closed as I watched signs whiz past and the white lines on the road blur into a single straight white stripe that flashed like an old movie.

"You think he died?" It felt like I was underwater. The sounds of humanity drifted into my comfortable darkness like a background drone that slowly but surely rose in volume.

"He's fine Naruto. He does this all the time." Choji's deep voice sounded like nothing more than a murmur that came from the end of a long tunnel.

"You sure? I've tried everything and he won't wake up."

"What kind of person does this?" The high pitch of a female voice broke through my comfortable darkness and pushed the volume up at least three, if not five notches.

"Shikamaru, obviously." Naruto's annoying shrill of a voice pushed the volume up yet again. It got so loud the sound was almost as bad as a light, penetrating my cozy darkness.

I stirred; sleep flitting out of my grasp like a butterfly. "Shut up." I moaned, hoping they would take the hint and leave.

They didn't, of course.

Instead they took the moan as a sign I was getting close to the realm of the cognizant—which I suppose it was—and started to shake me closer with the force of a violent female.

"Damn it Shikamaru, just wake up already." Naruto's squeaky voice finally reached a level of volume that grated in my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut against the light filtering past my eyelids and tried oh so desperately to swim back to the coziness of repose. "The teachers will give us shit if we don't get off this bus soon."

Oh, so we were at the museum already. Sure didn't feel like a good enough nap.

"Come on, Shika." Choji pushed Naruto off to the side so he couldn't shake me anymore—I love this guy—and then put his own solid hand on my shoulder. "You just have to make into the building, pretend to listen to the teachers' safety rules and stuff, then you can sleep on the closest bench until we meet up to go home. I'll even be sure to wake you up again when we do."

I guess I have no real choice in the matter. It was get off the bus to find a bench, which would be more comfortable than this seat anyway, or have Iruka-sensei trail me all day because I'm such a nuisance.

I somehow whacked Naruto when I tried to stretch in the cramped quarters. My neck was stiff, as it usually was when I fell asleep in such an awkward position. As nice as it was to fall asleep watching the world fly by while being rocked by the movement of the car underneath you, it always hurt afterwards.

I opened my eyes, and was forced to squint against the harsh light. Why was I sitting right in the middle of a sunbeam? Didn't buses park by an underground exit when schools come to places like this?

"Choji," His girlfriends' voice floated down from the front of the bus, "I'm going inside. Ten minutes is long enough to wait for your friend. I'll meet you by the statue in the main hall, 'kay?"

"Yeah, be there in a minute." Whipped. It seems every guy I know was whipped by their girl.

"I'll be waiting." I could imagine her doing that thing girls do of flipping their hair over their shoulder as they turned to leave.

"I'll be waiting." Naruto repeated, contempt obvious in his voice. A smirk decorated my face; that was just what I was thinking.

"Oh shut up." Choji snapped, his face burning, "She's just-"

"-Being female." I finished for him as I finally dragged my heavy body up off the seat; though I still had to use the back to be sure I didn't pitch over. The floor would likely hurt…a lot.

Choji scowled at the two of us as he lent me a hand, "Just because you two don't like girls doesn't mean others can't."

"We never said you can't like girls." I couldn't help but point out.

"Fine," He admitted, "but that doesn't mean they're bad peoples."

"Some aren't," Naruto finally lost patience with me just standing in the middle of the aisle and gave me a solid shove. "just the ones that only care about being hitched."

"Like Ino." We were rewarded with a blow to the back the head and an evil frown from our friend.

"Let's just get going." Next thing I knew I could see Choji's back as he walked down the aisle, "Everyone's waiting for us."

"He's just afraid of withdrawal symptoms," Naruto giggled into my ear, "He's been away from his _girl_friend for a whole two minutes."

* * *

**NOTES- **Just as a small warning, the next couple of chapters are going to be really short, but they're important so I think you'll be able to live with them :P After that I'm working on making the chapters long. Please Review!! They make my day!


	20. Field Trip 2

Even if I wasn't fully asleep this bench was heaven. Places like this had padded benches that felt so good on the back. I knew I could stay here for the whole trip and everything would be fine. Not many peoples came to this section of the museum, the history showed here being more boring than normal, so there was only the occasional scuffle as someone walked by and a gentle murmur of peoples as they talked a ways away. Perfect conditions for an afternoon nap.

I don't know how much time had passed since we'd gotten to the museum and my friends all went their own way, leaving me to waste the day on my bench—How I loved wasting my day on this bench; All I knew was enough time had passed that quite a number of peoples had given me weird stares. I'm pretty sure a couple of children had wondered if I was even still alive.

If only my bliss could have lasted.

In some other part of the museum a low droning alarm went off. Probably some idiot had touched some vase, nothing more. I shrugged it off. Moment's later sounds of running floated into my usually peaceful portion of the big place, and they were getting louder.

I'd barely peeled my eyes open before a blur launched itself over the back of my make-shift bed. Pain blossomed in my chest as the blur miscalculated and tripped over me. Kiba went sprawling on the floor in front of my bench.

"Shit Shikamaru." He breathed. I blinked at him a few times, still partially asleep. "Why the hell are you-"

He was cut off by the sound of his name being shouted down the hall behind, followed closely by mine.

Wait, mine?

Why mine!

"Looks like I got you in shit with me." Kiba smirked once, before grabbing my hand and jerking me to me feet. Urgency propelled him forward as another shout echoed through the foyer. I was forced to stumble after him.

As soon as any sort of balance blessed my feet again I glanced back at our pursuers. Two big museum security guards in their blue uniforms ran expertly behind us, their glares easily boring into my back despite the hundred foot advantage me and Kiba held over them. Behind them was the person doing all the yelling, and drawing unneeded attention to us—Iruka-sensei.

Hell, what did Kiba drag me into?

Kiba did an unexpected swerve into another exhibit, and then swerved in the opposite direction heading towards another doorway. Balance left me again and I went down as my feet kept going in the first direction while the rest of me strove to follow Kiba. Kiba came down with me.

"Fuck." He swore, sending me a quick glare as he assessed how close our stalkers were. "Over here."

With practiced ease he rolled to the side and hide behind a garbage can. All I could do was scramble behind him and hope my clumsiness didn't get us both caught. Thankfully Sasuke walked by just as the security guards turned the corner and his horde of girls blocked their view of our hiding spot as they followed the path Kiba almost did. Moments later Iruka-sensei came in, stopped in front of the group of peoples and asked whether they'd seen the two of us. Lucky for us they'd all been to busy watching Sasuke as he admired the stuffed dolls of caribou and bears to notice us cowering behind a garbage can.

Kiba gave me a grin that nearly split his face in half the moment after Iruka-sensei disappeared after the men in blue. "Damn, that was lucky, eh Shika?"

"Moron." was all I could gasp. Running was not my thing, much less through a crowded building on the run from at least two big men.

"Hey, I'm not the one that tripped, even if it did save our asses." I couldn't quite be sure if my racing heart was all to do with the running. I always heard shortness of breath happened when someone was near their crush. "Now let's get going before they notice we're not there anymore."

He grabbed my hand again to drag me to my feet. My heart skipped a beat and for a moment I thought my legs wouldn't support me, but before the weakness could cause any lasting damage to my pride, my legs were forced into action. As quick and as quietly as possible we crept back out the way we'd come and set off down the hall.

The lower foyer of the museum was easily the most crowded place of the whole building. It was where everyone had to pass in order to get in to see the exhibits and where groups often met. It was also the only way to get to the cafeteria underneath and where the gift shop was located. Meaning it was one big crowd of couples and crying kids.

Perfect for running away from big men in blue security jumpsuits.

Kiba kept a firm grip on my hand as we weaved in and out of the large assembly of peoples. I hated places like this with a passion. Too many peoples, too much noise and way too easy to lose something; not to mention if something happened, likely no one would notice. I squeezed his hand back as we pulled through a particularly tight squeeze, almost afraid Kiba would lose me.

Not too soon Kiba found a suitable place to leave the foyer. We dashed off towards the dinosaurs, ducking behind a few large bones when a curator walked by, just to be safe.

We'd just made it beyond the Triceratops skeleton when Kiba hissed, backing up into me. Just beyond him I could see Iruka-sensei stalking through the hall in the same direction we were heading.

"Hey Kiba, Shikamaru!" We both turned to see Naruto waving wildly from over by the exemplary nest of eggs.

"Damn." A glance told me that Iruka-sensei hadn't missed the outburst. He whirled around and started back towards us. Kiba just tugged me off in another direction.

The chase was on again.

This is the epitome of troublesome.


	21. Field Trip 3

"In here!" Kiba pulled sharply on my arm, practically throwing me headfirst into the small space underneath on of the exhibits. What this space was, why it was open, and how Kiba expected us both to fit in here were just a few of the questions that occurred to me, then my head hit the wall at the end of the crawl space. "Shush." Kiba hissed when I moaned. "Otherwise we'll get caught!"

He crawled in behind me. I had to stretch flat before Kiba could fit as well. With a bit of complicated maneuvering he somehow managed to shut the door behind him. How I hoped it didn't lock behind him.

He laughed through his exhausted pants. At this proximity I could hear how fast his heart was beating. I hated and loved how close he was. The feeling of his body heat, his breath whistling through what little space was left, it scared me, but I would give anything to make it last just a second longer.

"Hey Shika," Kiba said once he got his breathing under control. I could hear his usual smile in the sound of his voice "Wasn't that fun?"

He _enjoyed _that? All that running and hiding from the curators of the museum? Having to duck behind random statues and pretending to be part of the exhibits? That was _fun_ to him?

"No." I gasped. I was not used to all that running.

"Oh come on." He shifted. I bit my tongue to keep from doing anything I might have regretted. "You have to admit that it was exciting at least." He leaned a fraction of an inch closer and I tried to lean back. I couldn't, there just happened to be a wall there.

"Yeah, sure." I figure I might as well agree with him, "Exciting." I was still trying to get my own breath back; I wasn't nearly as fit as Kiba. Having him leaning over me in such a tight space didn't help either.

We went silent as there were voices outside our hide-away. Luckily none of them sounded familiar, and none said anything that resembled our names. They went on for awhile, probably girls that were giggling and talking about whatever girls talk about. Maybe they were even conversing about the exhibit me and Kiba were underneath…What exhibit were we underneath?

Luckily no light squeezed through the cracks of the crawlspace door so Kiba couldn't see the blush that decided to grow on my face. I think we were under one of those slightly disturbing paintings of Greek men; The ones where they decide not to wear any clothes for whatever reason. That just made this slight…problem…that much worse.

Finally the sound of peoples walking by and voices died down. "What was that about anyway?" I asked, since we obviously weren't going to be leaving for awhile yet. "Why the hell d'you have to run like that?"

Even in the dark I could tell he had a goofy grin plastered on his face. In my minds eye there was a perfect image of what Kiba would look like, if I could see him. "They don't really like it when peoples play with the Indians." He said simply.

"What?" It slipped out before I could stop it. I could easily imagine multiple 'what's when it came to Kiba in a museum.

"Well," He started. If he had the space I'm sure he would be waving his arms around in emphasis. "This really hot girl, Nagae, I think, was talking about how much she loved the Indians; like how manly they were and stuff. So I figured I'd show off a bit before asking her out, y'know, so I have a better chance of her saying yes. It would have been embarrassing as hell if she said no, in a place like this, with all the peoples…"

And he kept going. I wasn't sure if it hurt more to hear how he talked about this stranger girl or to feel my arm going to sleep under our combined body weight. Not to mention the fact listening to him go on about something I didn't want to hear was annoying as hell.

"So anyway," He finally got to the point, "I climbed into the exhibit and was pretending to help them kill the bear. She loved it, got her giggling and everything. I was just about to actually ask her out when I leaned on the guy next to me, and what do you know his arm falls off. And when I was trying to put it back on, before a museum guy comes around, I accidently hit his nose, and that kinda fell off too. Then he fell over and some alarm went off. So I had to run for my life when the museum peoples and teachers came round. By the way sorry for dragging you into it, don't really know why they would think you were in on it though." He finished.

As if he was sorry for dragging me along, I thought to myself, by the sound of it he found it just made the whole escapade that much more exciting.

"Do you think we can get out now, Kiba?" I whispered after a few more moments of silence.

"Yeah, sure, just a sec." Kiba whispered back. Even whispering he couldn't hide the squeak form his usually deep voice.

"You okay?" I shifted, trying to get some circulation back in my arms.

"I said just a second." I fell silent, for the requested second anyway, before protesting again. We had to get out of here now or for all we knew a tour group would come by. With a check at my watch I started on about how we'd miss the bus, since at this rate we would. "Shut up!" He hissed a last time.

Before I could even come up with a comeback to his overreaction Kiba dropped his hips and ground them to mine. My breath stopped in my throat. When I opened my mouth to gasp Kiba took the opportunity to stick his tongue down my throat.

I got a taste of Kiba, and knew without knowing I was hooked on it. Like an innocent with their first taste of drugs I wasn't going to forget this feeling for while to come. In fact I wanted it all the more, and I hadn't even lost it yet. Instinctively I arched up against him, and we both separated to gasp at the pure feeling of it.

Then we did our best to scramble away from each other.

And that didn't work too well in such a small space.

It took more than a couple minutes of futile scrambling and fumbling before Kiba manipulated the door into opening again and letting us out. Without further ado we tumbled out of the space, took one look at each other, and left in different directions.

Did Kiba just kiss me for real?

No, I tried to convince myself, I was just panicking in the tight space or something.

Then what was the sweet-sour taste lingering in my mouth? The one I just wished beyond hope to taste again?


	22. Hamster Trouble

Two weeks.

Well, thirteen days.

And a couple hours. Not that I knew exactly how many. Not exactly, just in the general vicinity...

My head found it's way to some hard surface in hopes to shake the trail of thoughts that had been inevitably following since that thirty second period thirteen days ago.

And nine hours, but I don't know that. That would be creepy if I knew that, so I don't. Which is also to say I'm not still thinking about it. Not at all. No way. Not in a million years would I spend so much time mulling over a simple kiss...

...even if it was from Kiba.

And it wasn't during a game where it was mandatory, which meant he'd done of his own free will...

Nope, not mulling at all. If anything I'm just considering all the possibilities for the other boy's actions. Like he'd been momentarily insane, or he'd been afraid of the dark or the small space...Yeah, right. Who am I kidding? Like Kiba of all peoples would be like that. Now I admit I may be a bit biased, but I doubt I'm the only person who would be incapable of believing Kiba to be the type to freak out without a night light.

Then what could have driven Kiba to kiss me, without warning?

…possibly he had tried to warn me. In the minute before the action itself he'd growled at me multiple times to shut up and I'd wondered about the particularities of those growls.

Thinking about this was giving me a headache.

So I looked around in hopes of a simple distraction and came face to face with Shino.

I don't talk to Shino much, nobody really did. He's the quiet type that enjoys just being accepted into the circle. The kind of person who really just needs to be able to say he has friends, even if he doesn't partake in activities with his friends too often. Or maybe he's the awkward type of teen who always feels out of place joining in a conversation unless he knew what he had to say would be helpful. I've heard there are anti-socials like that around.

Aburame Shino, my mind immediately started processing what little I knew about him. Silent most of the time, best in science, always talks really politely when he does speak. His father owns a huge research facility that researched the capabilities of the insect race or something along those lines. Shino has also long since taken interest in his father's research, so was usually seen reading some book on insects when not with Kiba.

Why would Kiba's best friend be sitting in the seat in front of me? Whatever the reason, he was obviously waiting for me to acknowledge his presence.

I blinked at the almost imposing boy a few times as I worked to bring reality back into focus. During that silence Shino seemed to understand I knew he was there and he won't be disturbing me.

"Shikamaru," He greeted me with a small nod. Gentleman to the bones I guess.

"Shino," I mimicked politely, trying to decide on the best way to ask what he wanted if he didn't get right to the point. Would he be offended by a simple 'what do you want'?

"Shikamaru," He repeated to be sure he had my attention. A lot of peoples did that and I never could understand why, "Are you romantically interested in the same gender?"

What a way to get to the point. And what a point. I think the little hamster in my brain died from the shock. For a moment its wheel kept turning and I managed to splutter a small 'what!?' before it stopped completely.

I wonder, as did most peoples, what Shino was thinking. With his sunglasses determinedly blocking his eyes no one had anything good to work with in order to form even a simple hypothesis. Maybe he was smart enough to get his answer from my reaction and was still there to be polite. Maybe he was contemplating what my answer might be when I get a new hamster. Maybe he was thinking about something completely irrelevant, like what was the special for lunch today, or the price of pizza and if he should get some.

You know, I'm really hungry. Instead of wracking my brains about Kiba, maybe I should find Choji and con him out of some lunch.

_Oh, there's that new hamster. Starting out slowly I see, thinking about everyday things and working your up. That's the way to go._

"I apologize that my question is rather personal, but I'm curious as to your sexual preference." _Sorry, Shino, new hamster's just starting to process the math questions on the board behind you. Just give me another minute. _"Are you gay?" He re-asked a final time, exasperated by my prolonged silence.

"Why do you ask?" I acted as nonchalant as possible while my hamster got used to the fast-paced run I needed to figure out a proper answer.

In front of me Shino wrestled with his own answer, which surprised me. Factor in the other boys glasses, calm outward appearance and how notorious for planning ahead he was I shouldn't have been able to see how conflicted he was for an answer. He looked kind of like an honest child learning how to lie in order to keep some promise.

"Kiba," he started after a time, then seemed to think better of it and started again, "I've had my suspicions for awhile now. I wanted to confirm them and asking you was the best way to get a concrete answer." Liar. Kiba was mixed up in this somehow, not that that was surprising. Shino and Kiba were as close as Choji and I. Well, maybe not quite that close. I'd known Choji since elementary school whereas Shino hadn't met Kiba until High School. Either way they were close enough that Shino must know some ways to read Kiba.

If by some natural disaster I could somehow get together with Kiba, I wonder if Shino would teach me some of those tricks…there goes that hamster again, still getting used to how my mind works and choosing now to try that speed that made my heart beat fast for a certain ladies man.

"Shikamaru," Shino said in that so-deep-you-almost-can't-hear-it voice of his, effectively breaking men out of my reverie. Maybe that's why peoples tend to say my name before talking to me… "If you don't wish to answer, you just have to say so and I'll leave it alone." He sounded sincere.

"My…sexual preference," I said awkwardly, deciding I was done with this conversation, "Is my sexual preference"

"Nothing to do with me, then." Shino took that cryptic answer well.

"Nope. What's my preference to you anyway?"

"To me? Nothing." He admitted to it so carelessly. I'm sure the surprise was written all over my face. "Just curiosity," And with that he left.

I got the distinct feeling by the way he took that and left he got his answer, one way or another.

At a loss for anything to do for the time being I watched Shino as he slipped through the crowded hallway. The boy was hard to lose, he stood a few inches taller than most. He pushed easily past peoples. It almost looked like the crowd was nothing but water to him. The peoples around hardly noticed as he past. They even unconsciously filled the space he slipped through as soon as he wasn't there anymore. It was interesting, like he was a ghost or something.

He met up with Kiba by the stairs. Kiba just gave Shino a questioning look and started to turn to leave. Shino must have said something shocking, for the younger male started. His deep brown eyes flitted past his friend before he calmed down and dragged his friend down the stairwell.

Love is so troublesome. No matter how hard you might try you're thoughts always end up back at the object of your affections…

In search of a new distraction I headed off in the opposite direction. If I was lucky Choji would still be in the caf and his girlfriend hadn't stolen him from Naruto yet. She liked to do that.

I was lucky. Choji was still polishing off the last of whatever he had from dinner last night when I found him and Naruto in the cafeteria. Naruto was happily demolishing a piece of pizza. The two of them hardly even noticed when I took the seat across from them. They had to be the only two peoples I knew who were always so intent on the food in front of them. It was like watching animals at the zoo during feeding hours, so much so that no one dared get between them and their lunch.

I sat back in my seat, deciding not to try and get either boys attention in that moment. My own safety came first, after all. Despite my decision, my body decided to renege and get their attention anyway. My stomach growled loudly, reminding once again that it was empty.

"You hungry?" Choji laughed.

"Little bit." Naruto's attention was still solely for his lunch. By the way he was vacuuming his sandwich, you'd think there'd be bits and pieces flying out in all directions, but not a single crumb was safe from him.

I gratefully accepted part of Choji's lunch, when he offered it. I relaxed back into the chair to eat it. Everything was silent for a minute, besides the sounds of Naruto tearing apart his leftovers. I guess Choji just couldn't go back to his food. He watched me curiously, "What happened?"

"Nothing." The look in Choji's eye told me he didn't even think about believing me, "Really, I just talked to Shino, that's all."

"Shino? What about?"

I shrugged, desperately hoping I wouldn't be forced into specifics. "Stuff. He had some questions" Truth was always the best option, especially when dealing with peoples like Choji who must have some sixth sense; he always seems to be able to detect lies. "He said I was probably the best person to ask for answers."

"Shino…" Naruto finally paused his inhalation of food long enough to think that over. "That's Kiba's friend right?"

Why was it everything seemed to come back to Kiba? "Yeah, he is."

"So he was asking about you liking guys, wasn't he?" I was only momentarily surprised at how close to the nail he hit. It didn't last long, I doubt he knew it.

"Why would you say that?" Choji saved me from having to find a suitable lie to appease the blond.

"Well, if Shino is Kiba's friend, Kiba probably tells him things. He might have told Shino about you. It's not like Shino's gonna tell anyone, so Kiba probably thought it was alright."

That made sense, even if I don't quite think that's quite right. Shino wouldn't have had to ask if Kiba had come right out and said it. No doubt Kiba hinted at it and Shino filled in the rest himself. So that's how Kiba had connected to Shino's strange question.

I didn't even realize that both Choji and Naruto were watching me expectantly, wanting to know if Naruto's guess was right. I could easily have lied to them, but that seemed like to much work. So instead I elected to leave them wondering. I stuffed the rest of Choji's roll in my mouth and left before either of them could ask anything. I smirked at the oncoming traffic when Naruto protested behind me. How fun.


	23. Confessions of a Confused Teen

Kiba wouldn't get out of my head. The older boy seems to have found a semi-permanent home in the cracks of my mind, filling up all the space not important. I didn't like it. Ever since the kiss at the museum the object of my affections was chocking up my thoughts to the point I think I was listening to the teachers even less than usual, if that was even possible. Kiba, being Kiba even when glorified in my mind, brought with him even more troublesome things. My thoughts wandered to everyone and anyone who had contact with both me and the dog lover, Shino for example.

I guess it was understandable that I was still thinking of my encounter with Shino; it had only happened just over a period ago. There was now a good chance that Shino knew about me; actually I was rather sure he did. Though the quiet boy hadn't said anything, I knew Kiba had affected his decision to ask me about me. The only thing that was really bothering me was that I had no idea how great the hints Kiba had dropped that had tipped off his friend were. For all I know Kiba had told Shino everything and he had only wanted to know if Kiba had spoken truth.

And so went my afternoon; spent trying to unravel the knots in my formerly smooth lifestyle. The twist that didn't seem to be happening, Kiba, the twist that won't go away called Yuki, the way the strings of Naruto's and Choji's relationships affected me. Nothing seemed to be going right lately, and it was bothering me. I hated not knowing what would happen with everyone next.

Finally, long after the class had lost faith in the bell ever ringing, Iruka-sensei finished his long speech on god-knows-what and dismissed the class. The rush out the door was insane, like a stampede intent on nothing but crushing one another. Looked like it could have been a scene from a war movie the way no one cared for the health of the person next to them.

As usual I was careful to wait until the danger of the doorway had past before even considering trying to fight my way through the hallway. By the time I did the hall was filled with idle groups of waiting friends rather than bustling crowds of singles. Choji was waiting faithfully at my locker for me, his girlfriend having ditched him for a shopping trip with some girls.

When we walked down the hall I was careful to avoid letting my gaze stray to Kiba. I already had him on my mind enough; I didn't need to be thinking about how hot he was today as well.

"Did anything happen between you and Kiba?" Choji asked a few steps later. "You usually like to watch him, seeing as you like him and all." Damn, I forgot Choji knew that detail, "Now you ignore him all the time. What happened?"

I don't think I did the best of jobs to keep the blush from making it to my skin as the memory of Kiba's lips on mine in a full on kiss once again become my foremost thought. I'm sure Choji noticed it; he liked to notice things like that. For a moment I wanted desperately to keep the memory to myself, as if telling Choji about it would make me realize it was all a dream. That was a stupid and unrealistic thought and I knew it. Choji's my best friend and the only person who knew my feelings were for the skirt-chaser. There's no logical reason to keep it from him.

"Shika?" I must have spent too long weighing the options and Choji was getting antsy for an answer. I watched the idle passerby's for a moment before answering.

"Why don't you come over," I offered my big friend, "get my mom off my back for awhile."

The Akimichi studied me in silence, trying to discern my unspoken problems from my face alone. He was probably wondering if I was actually planning to let him in on my problems or was just using him to get out of something. Finally he consented, with condition, "Fine, but I have be home by 4:30 to help make dinner. My cousins are coming over so mom has to make more than usual."

"Got to help make the feast, I understand." It would take a lot of food to feed six or seven Akimichi's. I would feel bad for Choji and his mom, but I knew they did this quite often. For them, it's as normal as breathing.

He smiled, "Just a small one, like when you and your family come over." I snorted, the small amount of extra food Choji made when I ate at his house was supposed to feed a whole other family of Akimichi's? I couldn't believe it.

--

"Dinner'll be ready in an hour and a half!" I starkly ignored my mother, as I usually did, and made for the safety of my room. Choji made sure Mom knew I got the message.

"I have about forty-five minutes before I have to go," my brunette friend reported, "An hour if I run home." I couldn't be sure if he added that for his own benefit or so I knew how long I would have his attention. He was probably preparing me in case I would need comforting about whatever I planned to tell him. I wouldn't need any comforting; another mind to help decipher Kiba's actions maybe, but no comforting.

"Shino did ask if I was gay." I announced when the door was firmly closed between us and my parents. "It was weird," I flopped onto my bed so that I wouldn't have to see whatever look was taking up home on Choji's face. I could imagine it well enough. "He just came right up to my desk and asked what my 'sexual preference' was."

"Is that really how he put it?" Choji's expression would be somewhere between amusement and confusion, I decided, like he wasn't sure if that was supposed to be funny or not. I glanced at him. I was right.

"Actually it was more along the lines of 'are you romantically interested in the male gender?'" It's funny looking back at it, though at the time it had just been kind of creepy.

Choji snorted, "Romantically interested?"

"That's how he put it. It took him like three tries before he just came out and asked if I was gay."

"So what did you say?" A giggle escaped past his lips.

'Wasn't any of his business."

"So you didn't tell him?"

"No, but I think he figured it out anyway."

"Are you worried about that?" Choji probably thought this was my reason for bringing him here. "I don't really think Shino's the type to tell anyone, except maybe Kiba, but he already knows." Instant make-it-not-seem-so-bad mode activated. Choji's so predictable, that's why he's my best friend and not the spazz Naruto.

"I know," I said quickly before Choji really got going. "just thought I'd tell you."

"Oh…Hey, can I go on your computer a sec? I need to check with Haruko about something and I might not get the chance later." There's that girlfriend getting in on everything, even when she's not here.

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead." He gave me the most relieved look before taking up home at me desk. I watched idly as he signed into MSN and started up a conversation instantly. "I do kinda wonder what Kiba did to get Shino so interested in my sexuality."

Choji just grunted, completely intent on his cyber flirting. I'd lost him. I could probably say whatever I wanted and I doubt he'd notice. I could probably walk right out and he wouldn't know it until time came for him to leave. I decided to make sure.

"You really have to wonder what's up with Shino sometimes." Silence. "He's such a freak. Never talks and so amazing at school, it's so unnatural." Another grunt. Oh, yeah, Choji was so focused he wasn't even paying attention to me. Normally insulting anyone in any manner would get Choji going on a rant—he'll be a good father someday, teach his kids all the right things. Calling someone a freak for being quiet and good at school would make him go Godzilla on everyone. Obviously girlfriend had brainwashed that right out of him.

I could say anything in the world and he wouldn't notice, so I babbled to myself. "Some peoples do find Shino really creepy though. Remember last semester when he did that speech on the difference in the mating habits of arthropods and arachnids. Creeped most of the class right out, both girls and guys. Ino can't even look in his direction anymore, it's so funny. I find it kind of amazing that he can be so aloof when so little peoples talk to him. I don't care much for the whole social ladder, but I'm still having trouble with being so isolated from just the Yuki thing. I still need to figure that out. You know, I told her I was gay. Just kind of blurted it out like some girl."

I went silent at that, realizing exactly how things here sitting with Yuki. Yuki had stopped coming to school for awhile after learning about me. The teachers had reported she just had a bad cold and didn't want anyone to catch it—a story that was suspicious at best, but it was enough that no one bothered to ask after her.

Choji remained glued to my computer, completely oblivious to everything. Realizing he wasn't going to fill the silence I went back to talking to myself, but I used a different topic.

"I hate your girlfriend." I announced to him. "She's such a…girl. All she seems to do is gossip and steal you away. Somewhere, I really hate that she steals you. I want some damn time with you too. But then again you always seem so happy when she's there, so I can't complain. You're my best friend and I want you to be loved. I seriously doubt I'll like any of your girlfriends, so don't listen to me grouch. Girls are just so troublesome, always so possessive and growly. They never let anyone else around what they think is theirs. I really hope when you get married your wife either isn't so possessive, or gets over it. Hey, do you think a guy would ever get that possessive over me? Wonder if Kiba would ever get like that. He kind of seems the type when you think about it, not the type to…kiss and run…"

Choji managed to grunt again, maybe realizing somewhere in his mind that I was touching on something he should hear. I should have realized he may actually be listening before I blurted what I did next.

"…like he did with me."

Choji completely froze, all movement in the room completely stopped. For barely a second there was complete silence as we both unraveled what I'd just admitted. Choji whirled around so fast my desk chair went crashing to the floor. "K-K-Kiba what?!"

I felt like I'd just admitted my sexuality to Naruto all over again!

Choji will probably give better advice though.


	24. Logic From His Friend

Choji, my best friend and one of the only peoples whose advice I would take without question, didn't have anything to say. He was like a fish; his mouth open for the world to see, but nothing came out, nor went in. All he needed was some bubbles and a tank and he could have replaced the goldfish Naruto killed last month.

My brain refused to process anything beyond those stupid thoughts, which confused me. I've been told by my teachers that I'm a genius (and that it's my own fault I just barely pass. Should try harder or something like that) so it's no surprise that I can usually think on my feet pretty well. It's rare, to say the least, that I ever get caught off guard or don't already have a plan to get out of something. Now was one of those exceptions.

When I invited Choji over I'd been planning on confessing all my sins to him, or at least what I could spit out about Kiba. He already knew about my liking for him, but I wanted his opinion on the museum scene. Now I couldn't believe I'd almost blurted it out.

Then again, against what I thought before, letting it out just made it all the more real.

I could have been there, under the strange Greek painting in a random hole in the wall, all over again: I could hear Kiba's voice ringing in my ears, mixing with his ragged pants and my muffled gasps. The air had been so hot and heavy, the smallest twitch seemed to move it. The heat of Kiba's body pressed against me like a monster, scaring me with a pleasure I was terrified I'd give into. The feel of Kiba's skin only served to raise my already heightened awareness. I remember trying to pinpoint the position of his mouth by his airy laughs. It had been so hard to ignore the points of contact between us. My face burned at the memory of Kiba's breath sweeping across my cheek.

And that wasn't even going close to the recollection of the kiss…

Choji finally found his words, "…He kissed you?" It was barely a whisper.

Even if I didn't answer my face betrayed the answer. "He did."

"When?" Choji gently righted the chair he'd sent flying and sat, leaning forward; the image reminded me of Ino and her incessant need for gossip.

"In the museum. He dragged me along while running from Iruka-sensei. It just…kinda happened."

"Just kinda happened?" Girly gossip moment for sure. Choji shifted slightly to get ready for _story time_. "Shika, this is big."

"Is it?" I still couldn't figure out what I thought about the kiss. Except that I liked it and wished desperately for a repeat.

"Yeah, of course! Do you think this means he might like you? What happened?" I figure Choji's girlfriend must be rubbing off on him. He's gone gossipy as an old woman.

"I don't think it meant anything to him. It seemed really spur of the moment and it's not like he's brought it up or anything." I got the feeling I was trying to convince myself more so than Choji. I didn't need to hope for the impossible.

"Like how?" I must have started to drift; his question caught me off guard again. I made one of those undignified noises that showed my confusion.

"Like how was it spur of the moment?" He rolled the chair closer to where I was sprawled on the bed. "What happened, you have to tell me."

"I was sleeping, then we were running, then hiding, then he kissed me." Choji rolled my chair closer still and kicked me in the side. He wasn't happy with the highly condensed version.

"Come on, tell me!"

I sighed and rolled away from the offending limb. "I don't know." It came out as a whiny moan that made me ashamed to be a guy for a second. "I'm not even sure what happened."

"So what led up to it?" Mother Mode made a quick appearance before gossipy Choji returned. The sparkle in my friends eyes screamed _Tell-me_!

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at Choji's stubbornness. It was one two minute story, was it really that important? I got a relatively passionate kiss from the boy of my dreams who had no reasonable excuse for his actions…I guess it might be important.

I told him, to his relief, without much more fuss; slowly, pausing whenever my mom tried to eavesdrop and starting up again after some prodding from Choji. After finishing, I watched as his face went through so many emotions I soon lost track, all the while replaying the memories over and over for the thousandth time since. It still didn't help answer any of the questions that burned through my skull.

Choji had nothing to say to it. His normally friendly face was unreadable to me. No matter how long the silence dragged on that didn't change. I couldn't even guess what Choji was feeling or what opportunities were running past his eyes. A small amount of fear knotted in my gut and it took a moment before I realized it was because of Choji's silence. It hung in the air and I breathed in all the worst possible scenarios.

"You really don't think that means he likes you?" Choji asked after awhile.

"No." I tried to push away the irrational fear now that Choji was talking again. "Why? Should I?"

"I don't know." My friend admitted, "But why would he kiss you if he didn't? Even in that situation not many peoples would kiss the person they're with if there wasn't anything between them. I mean, you wouldn't kiss me if it was you and me, and I definitely wouldn't kiss you."

He's right. I wouldn't. The love between me and Choji was purely platonic and I'd never risk that, even if I did have feelings for him that went beyond that. I don't think I'd ever kiss Choji, no matter the circumstances. Still, I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that Kiba could possibly like me in the same way I like him. I kept silent, wrestling with the idea and the logic Choji used to back it up.

Our hour together ended in a comfortable silence while I contemplated the possibilities Choji had brought up and he cyber-flirted with the troublesome species that is female. Choji excused himself as he always did and left silently. I faintly heard my annoying mother thanking him for befriending her lazy and useless son, then he was gone. It was so quiet; Choji must have shut my door on his way out, out of consideration.

As I tried to understand Kiba's motives, numbers danced through my head. There was maybe a 1/30 chance that Kiba was gay, or at least bisexual if his obvious was any indicator. There are easily seven hundred students in our school, so 1/700 chance he'd pick me. 1/200 if he was picky on age. If he was purely gay and chasing girls was a cover (though that was very unlikely) the possibility was 1/100. My chances of catching his eye were miserable. My best odds were the 1/27 in our class or 1/15 boys in our class, but the chances of Kiba's range being so limited was so impossible I couldn't imagine any numbers.

"_Do you think that means he likes you?" _Choji's concerned, excited, curious voice sounded again and again. How desperately I wanted to cling to that idea. I wanted it so badly I found myself absently curling in on myself in an attempt to keep it from flying away. My heart pounded as the last remains of a daydream floated teasingly past my eyes: Kiba blushing a confession, Kiba sitting with me, hands intertwined, Kiba flicking his mysterious notes past the expectant girls to me…

What am I? A damned girl dreaming of things that'll never happen?

Damn logic pointing out reality.

…Kiba leaning in and the prolonged second before our lips meet…damn!

Thinking wasn't working. Logic and wishes were contradicting each other. It was giving me a headache. For awhile at least I needed to get my mind off Kiba and feelings. I need a break, this is troublesome.

Maybe it was just to me, because somewhere I was still thinking of Kiba, but I found dinner extremely awkward that night. There seemed to be some invisible fog that hung over me and Dad that impeded talking; Mom didn't seem to notice in the least, as was the norm with women. I kept to myself and Dad struggled with keeping up Moms conversation. Thinking back I wish it had stayed that way.

The food had been unremarkable, just some frozen thing Mom had popped in the oven. It was so unremarkable I can't even remember what exactly it was supposed to be, and I didn't even notice the transition between eating and cleaning. It was all robotic, something I had to do every night, until Dad tapped me on the shoulder. He had me gently set down the dish in my hands, watching so that it didn't clunk on the counter, sent a backhanded look at Mom and made a hidden gesture for me to follow.

I did, and just like months ago when I blabbed about my sexuality we disappeared into my room. Just like before Dad started out all awkward and didn't know what to say. When he finally sorted what he wanted to say he brought up that night months ago; I wanted to leave then and there. He didn't let me. Dad started to apologize for how insensitive he must have seemed and went on to say that he didn't care what I was looking for. He admitted he hadn't told Mom yet and told me he was going to let me tell her myself. The man used the excuse that it was good for me and would get me ready for future challenges. He was just scared of telling her himself.

When he finally left I couldn't say I was particularly happy that he'd bothered to pull me aside for that, but I wasn't annoyed with it either. If my own father is fine with me getting together with another guy, that's a beg step. I still need to get that same approval from Mom, though.

Nothing good ever comes without something troublesome at its heels.


	25. Interview

Kiba, Kiba, Kiba. Damn it, does my life seem to revolve around Kiba lately? If this was one of my mother's romance novels I'd go on an internal rant about how mere image of him brightened up my day and reminded me why I bothered living. I'd say he was the air I breathed, the very blood in my veins. I'd say Kiba was the reason my food tasted good, the reason my body took in water, the base reason I did anything at all. Kiba was simply my everything.

Except this isn't one of those stupid novels and quite frankly I'm sick of Kiba. This must be what peoples mean by love-sick. If I looked in the dictionary would I see the definition I was thinking of? Love sick: (adj) to be so in love that one hates the object of their affections for taking up so much of their mental capacity for such an insane amount of time.

Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Kiba, Yuki, Ki-

Yuki?

The infestation of Kiba thoughts had taken over so completely the little bursting bubbles of nothingness thoughts lasted me all the way from home to school. Somehow the petty thoughts of how amazing Inuzuka Kiba is and how sick of him I've made myself made it so from the moment I got out of bed until I walked through the school doors I didn't notice a thing. No doubt things would have continued like that until someone ran into me (or me them) but Yuki appeared down the hall, heading directly towards me.

Yuki. Hashi Yuki. From the get go she's been a problem for me, meaning for six-seven months she's been on the top of my annoying—and watch out for—list. She's gone from crazy fan to dumped drama queen out to get me and when I tried to appease her I'd let slip a huge secret. I still haven't figured out what Yuki had in mind for that information. What she could do with it honestly scared me. Hopefully she's gotten over the shock that I'm gay and I can somehow convince her to keep that-

She walked right past me and into the classroom as if I was the quiet classmate she's never had anything to do with. True, I never expected to get so much as a glance from her, I hadn't gotten one in a long while, but still she always had some reaction to my presence. The silent-you-don't-exist treatment was such a step up from the air of depression she had before. Still, I guess she's a long way off from letting me approach her.

I got the distinct impression that something good had happened to her. Not that I have any right to know. Not that I really care to know. It was just interesting to note.

I followed her into the classroom, took my seat and waited for the usual to happen: either Choji would continue to try and convince me about Kiba, Naruto would try to sneak up on me and start talking my ear off or class would start. Just then Choji walked in with his dreamy I-have-the-girl-of-my-dreams-drool-at-my-happiness look on his face and his amethyst-eyed girl on his arm. Naruto was chatting to one of his friends from the older grade—Tenten I think it was. I sighed; I'm waiting for the teacher.

My eyes wandered back to Yuki, my bored mind reverting back to my previous train of thought. She was flipping her hair happily over her shoulders and gushing to Ino about something. She had that same love-struck look her and Ino wore on a regular basis, though her eyes had a faraway look about them. She must have found a new guy to chase; that would explain her total joyousness.

With a passionate laugh Yuki turned partially around—and our eyes met. I tensed, immediately wanting to look away; wanting to make it look like I just happened to glance her way in that particular instance. I waited too long; I couldn't look away without being suspicious. Besides, Yuki had a look in her eyes that said she knew I'd been watching her. It seemed like such a long time before Yuki freed me from her gaze. I immediately looked away, but curiosity drove me to look back. Yuki was waving off Ino's questioning look.

Momentary terror took over me when Yuki started to skip in my direction. It took nothing more than a calming breath to push that away; why would Yuki suddenly decide that I'm worth talking to again?

The terror came right back when Yuki, with an evil female smile, dropped into the seat in front of me and twirled to look me in the eye.

"I'll forgive you." She announced. Strangely enough, I found I was happy to hear those words, "On one condition." Not what I wanted attached to those first words.

I did want the forgiveness and closure, so I said, "What?"

She giggled heinously, and leaned in close, "Tell me who you like." The horror must have shown on my face, she giggled again, "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"No, I don't care what you say I won't tell you."

"Come on, I'll do anything. Even give a blood pact or something!" As if she'd really ruin her perfect skin for a blood pact.

"No."

"Come on, at least give me a hint. I'll totally forgive for a hint."

"…A hint? That's all?" Was I really this desperate for females to acknowledge me again?

"Yeah, and it's not like you're telling me a name or anything." She leaned closer as if she thought I'd actually tell her anything.

Then I realized the smartest thing to do would have been to deny having anyone like that from the very beginning. I guess I could start that ruse now, but it would look like I wanted to get rid of her quickly at best. Not to mention I doubt she'd take that and leave like Shino did. Knowing woman, she'd put all her efforts into getting that name out of me.

Another option was to stay quiet, maybe try to subtly change the subject and keep Yuki off the topic until Iruka-sensei came in. Would she bring it up later? Hunt me down for an answer? Ino would, if she actually knew anything she thought she did. Yuki wouldn't put up with silence as an answer, would she?

So that just left me the hint option. It was the only way to get what I wanted from her but not give out too much information. What kind of hint could both appease Yuki and keep Kiba's identity away from her female mind?

"Come on. I promise, promise, _promise_ I won't tell a _soul._ Not even my cat will know."

No choice. "Fine."

She squealed, squirming in her seat like a little kid getting cake. "Who is he?" She was way too excited about this.

"You're only getting a hint." I felt the need to remind her. No sense having her spazz for not getting a name. "He…"

"He?"

"…So you have a cat?" I didn't have a hint, not that I really wanted to give her one anyway.

"Don't you change the subject!" She squealed angrily. It was loud enough to even draw the attention of a few peoples. I stayed silent and endured her piercing look until the stares abated.

"He doesn't have a cat." I told her offhandedly.

"So?"

"So there's your hint."

"That's not a hint! At least half the class doesn't have cats! It needs to be at least a little more specific!"

"…fine…" I bet 'specific' to Yuki was something like his name starts with K and ends with iba. "He doesn't like cats, like, at all. How's that?"

Her eyes narrowed, "No, no, no." She hissed, "It has to be something that's actually useful, even if it's vague."

Demanding. "He…he's kinda a playboy."

"A playboy?"

"He likes to flirt…with girls…" I hated having to admit that. It felt like I was telling her I have no chance with him.

She rolled her eyes, "Just like every other jock in the entire school. You have to have something better than that; something that limits the possible boys to at least a specific few." Whine, whine, whine. Would nothing please her? "Is he a jock? What team is one? What club is he in?"

What team is he on? If that would be enough for her, I guess it's not too specific. It still leaves a good dozen possibilities for her female mind to ponder. "Volleyball." I sighed.

Yuki blinked a few times as she processed that information. "Really?" He's on the volleyball team? And he's playboy and he's most likely a dog person…Who's on the volleyball team?" Suddenly she was mumbling to herself, using her fingers to check off names of jocks as she mentally ran through their qualifications.

I watched her look at an invisible list that floated in front of her. If she'd been asking about anything else it would have been amusing to watch her. "Is it Sasuke?" She exclaimed suddenly, her head jerking back to me. "He's the star of the volleyball team and he's always surrounded by girls, even if I wouldn't call that flirting…"

Sasuke? She thought I liked Sasuke? The very idea made me gag. Not that Sasuke wasn't appealing—Naruto was head over heels for him—just something about him totally turned me off. Maybe it's his better-than-you attitude. Maybe it was because, even though he wants Naruto just as Naruto wants him, he holds his image above even that—my opinion anyway. It might even simply be that he draws those troublesome women by the pack. Me and Sasuke, my face unwillingly scrunched up as I imagined it.

Yuki giggled, "Not Sasuke I take it. Let's see, anyone would think Choji, but he's no jock…" her lips pursed as she went back to her list.

Then the light of inspiration darkened her features; she should grow horns any second now. "Kiba!"

Too many hints. Damn. Keep the face straight. Don't be like with Sasuke and give away the truth. Straight face, straight face.

"It is, isn't it?" Yuki squealed. She got more than the horns, Yuki turned into the whole devil. "Oooh!"

Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. In front of me Yuki was doing some evil little dance of victory. All I did was focus on my face and hopefully put some doubt in her mind. She made a few excited squeals, then found some way to calm her gossip filled head.

"I'll keep this to myself." She reminded me calmly as if I was the one freaking out—or as if she knew I was one the verge of secretly freaking out. No matter, she still couldn't keep herself from the beginnings of a giggle when she waved a goodbye and skipped back to her swarm of friends.

If it was any consolation Ino and friends had a confused look even long after Yuki had joined them. There was a possibly she hadn't spilled. Would she keep her word?

Troublesome woman.


	26. Teacher, teacher

I'm bored.

Its lunchtime and I've absolutely nothing to do. Not that I'm really that displeased with not having anything to do, I just kind of wish I had something to keep part of my brain busy for awhile. Classes were useless, so I did my homework—only to keep Mom from freaking about it later—while Iruka-sensei was explaining the lesson for the third time. I almost wished Naruto was here to bug me about how he still didn't understand, just to pass the time.

No one, not even my friends, seemed the least bit interested in me and my lonesome. Hell, _I _wasn't even interested in me and my lonesome. Choji had been dragged to a corner for some one on one time with his girlfriend, where he was making goofy faces unfit for anyone who had male pride not overridden by female brainwashing. Haku had wandered out of the classroom in search of Zabuza and hadn't been seen since. Not that I expected Kiba to talk to me anyway, but even he seemed to be ignoring me. He sat across the room with his back to me, deep in a conversation with Shino. Meanwhile Naruto wasn't doing anything other than sitting on his desk and watching every move Sasuke made—what he could see in the gaps of the surrounding mob anyway—and making small lustful sighs when the dark natured jock brought food to his lips; Naruto really bounced from his loss of Haku well.

And so I'm alone, bored, in the classroom with nothing to do but observe the peoples around me.

My eyes followed random peoples around for a time, switching when they past someone moving in the opposite direction. Some girl walked in the door, and walked right past a couple of guys that looked like they were checking her out. They in turned ignored some nerd who was scurrying to his desk a couple rows back. Ino slipped past him, not even hiding the fact she didn't want to touch his oily self, and forcefully pulled Sakura out of Sasuke's admiring swarm.

The two of them conversed for barely a second before skipping right past me to another group of huddled females. In that group I recognized Hinata slightly cowering behind some of the more confident girls. Ino and Sakura pushed their way into the center, to where the supposed action was taking place. From the momentary glimpses I got into the center, it looked like Yuki was there too; her blue streaked hair was hard to miss. In fact it seemed most of the attention was focused on Yuki. She must have told a joke or something because a wave of loud giggling rippled through the gathering. There was a gasp or two, and then as one being the whole assembly turned around. If I didn't know any better I might think they were all looking at me.

…wait…I don't know any better…

If Yuki really was the one who said whatever made the girls look this way, there was only one thing she could have said.

That little-

Wait! What was she doing now? As I watched the crowd of girls easily parted and Yuki strutted out like the queen of the world. She kept her eyes glued to me in a cold stare as she moved past me. She was swinging her hips way to much; it looked tacky.

With a flip of her hair Yuki took up a place at the front of the class, the same place the teachers use when they demand attention. A few peoples gave her weird looks as they returned to the classroom. Lunch was ending soon and peoples were coming back from wherever they disappeared to. Yuki just watched them walk through the door as if she actually _was _the teacher and wanted a full classroom before she taught anything. What was she _doing?_

There are only a few minutes before the real teacher would show up and Yuki would have to sit down. If she was going to do something she had to do it now. She straightened, pushing off the blackboard, and demanded attention. "Excuse me, everyone!

"As you all know when I first transferred here, Nara Shikamaru," I really didn't like how she said my name, "was really nice to me and I might have gotten a little thing for him. As you also know, he totally broke my heart." Boo's rose from the hitched boys and glares rolled across the room from the females. The hairs on my neck rose and a sense of horror started in the pit of my stomach.

"Luckily I've found someone else lately. And I'm totally over the moon right now." She looked it too, like she was mentally floating six feet higher than the rest if us. "But that's not the point. I want to _spite _him, so I have something to tell you all. Nara Shikamaru, who sits right over there, is…gay! Totally homosexual. Not only that, he has this uber crush on-"

Logically I knew not reacting would be the best defense, but still I jumped up—easily making my chair clatter to the ground with an attention drawing bang—before that caution could make it all the way across my mind. "Blood pact!" I hissed.

Yuki must have had some dignity to not back out on that promise.

"…Fine, but since I'm not _cruel and heartless_ I'll have to at least give you all a few hints. Firstly, Shikamaru is _totally _crushing on a dog lover. Second, He's a total _dog_; playing with poor Shika's heart when he flirts with _every girl _he sets eyes on. If that's not enough for you, the love of Shika's life is a _jock._ On the _volleyball _team." She smiled evilly, "_Guess who!_"

Yuki slipped back to her seat in the following confused silence with an all too pleased look on her face. As soon as she settled into her seat some unspoken memo must have been sent; all attention shifted immediately to me.

The full stupidity of standing up struck me like a bus and drove me back to my own seat. Of course, that did nothing to stop the starring. I'm sure the look on Naruto's face mirrored my own. The look that absolutely screamed _oh fuck, what the hell did she just do?_

A couple seats behind me Yuki giggled happily.

My mind was blank. My mind was more than blank, it was nonexistent; it decided that this was too stressful and packed its bags for a vacation. I noticed a dim rumble in the background. It took a conscious effort to pull myself out of the oblivion my shocked mind was sinking into and concentrate on the rumble. It was murmurings, a whole classroom full of murmurings; every last one of them about me.

I wanted to sink right back into my empty head, and then go even further and disappear into nonexistence.

At a loss of what to do I sent desperate glances to my friends. Over by the window Choji was being pestered by his girlfriend and her friends. Every once in awhile he would send me worried looks from across the room, as was his nature, and I would send him what I hoped was a sort of reassuring look. Naruto was busy dodging questions from his own horde of peoples. Even Haku was surrounded by desperately whispering classmates. Yuki looked like she was telling some grand tale to those who were relying on her information alone. Looking around, I was the only one related to me not being questioned about the truth; _was I really gay? Why hadn't I come out before now? Was what Yuki said really true? Did I really like someone? Who would it be?_

Before I knew it there was a mutual belief that I hadn't come out because I had already confessed to whoever I liked and been rejected.

The hairs on the back of my neck tickled and I looked around again. The only peoples still in their seats behind me were Kiba and Shino, only because they weren't shocked by this discovery. Kiba was too busy talking to his friend in rushed, hushed tones to pay me any attention. He was probably going through all his friends from the volleyball team out loud in his own attempt to figure out the name of my crush. I hope he was the type to easily forget himself as a candidate.

Shino, on the other hand, was completely ignoring his companion. Though Kiba didn't seem to notice Shino wasn't even looking in his direction. He was looking straight at me as if he was expecting something. He had this terribly knowing smirk on his face and it was even echoed in his eyes. Shino was known for his smarts and given how _totally obvious_ the hints Yuki got out of me were there was no doubt in my mind that Shino, unlike Kiba, had already pieced the clues together.

I wonder if anyone ever played Clue with Shino, or if everyone gave up when his reasoning skills proved unbeatable.

* * *

**Notes-**I would play Clue with Shino, then freak out when he beat me and lock him in my room to be mine own! Muhahaha! Sorry, I'm in a hyper mood with no one to take it out on.

Reviews are loved and criticism is loved even more! I want to know what everyone thinks!


	27. Dog Days are Over

I've been lucky. There's always been a huge debate over the rightness of same sex relationships, with many peoples on either side. I've met peoples with all sorts of opinions, ranging from being totally indifferent, to simply turning a blind eye, to those raging yaoi obsessed girls that stalked gay couples for a glimpse of two guys kissing. So far I've been lucky not to meet anyone totally against it.

Not that meeting anyone would have done anything to me. I'd been secure in keeping the secret of my sexuality to myself and a few trusted friends. Of course, I never went to great lengths to hide it; it just came out that way. It was easier that way, too.

It was especially easier to keep that particular piece of information from my mother. Actually she's probably the only one I actively worked to keep it from. I know I have to tell her sometime, else she'll find out on her own. If that happened I'd have to face her rage for real. I guess it's a good thing Mom never actually put down the homosexual community or my homosexual friends. I'd put her in the 'turn a blind eye' category. I hope her opinion—which are usually annoyingly strong—stays that way in the future, or at least falls on the positive side.

On the other hand, my high school in general has never been against gays. There are some peoples who are strongly against it, but the vast majority left people like Naruto well enough alone. In all honesty the gay gossip that conquered the school was nearly as overwhelming as the straight gossip. Which guy was lusting after which, which girls were eyeing each other; it was all just another part of high school life. When Naruto and Haku came out there wasn't much more than a few whispers of understanding (peoples finally understood Naruto's overly eccentric attitude) and some loud squealing and happy awws from some girls.

So why was it when Yuki rats me out it's suddenly the gossip of the year?

It hasn't even been three days since Yuki's announcement and already piles of peoples had pieced together Yuki's hints. I swear at least half my class had already come and given sympathy at my hopeless plight and half of what's left gave me playful nudges and small chuckles of "Kiba eh?"

Seems no ones bothered to spell it out to Kiba yet. While everyone was giving me their piteous words, Kiba was still oblivious. I couldn't say he found any bliss in his lack of knowledge. According to Naruto and Choji, Kiba had asked them both for some help in figuring out the name of my crush, and was bugging Shino nearly 24/7 to share his revelation.

Part of me was relieved Kiba was still in the dark. Then again if he figured it out it would save me the trouble of confessing, should I decide to do that.

"Oh come on, Shino. Why won't anyone just tell me? It won't matter if everyone already knows." Kiba hissed. Speak of the devil and he will appear. The way his eyes slipped past his friend to me made it obvious what he was asking about.

Shino growled, their proximity to my desk the only reason I could hear it. "No Kiba."

"Aw, come on!"

Shino took the opportunity to stop and give his friend a hard look. "If you're so curious, why don't you ask him yourself?" They were right in front of my desk.

Kiba gaped at his immobile friend as if Shino had raised his voice against him. A small blush found its way to Kiba's cheeks—it was the most adorable I've ever seen Kiba—when Shino gestured my way, inviting him to ask his questions. Kiba followed Shino's hand until his gaze intercepted my own.

I realized I was staring.

There was a moment when Kiba just stared back at me. The light dusting of pink darkened to a vibrant red. Only then did he turn his awkward gaze back to Shino.

"I can't do that!" he hissed. Shino sighed, rolled his eyes and gently asked why he couldn't. He gave the argument that it was my business so to ask me was a no brainer.

Kiba refused by saying, "That'd be _way_ too forward."

Shino sent me a quick glance, and gave a small smirk that I was watching. The troublesome bastard was practically holding everything he knew over my head. If I didn't know better I'd say he wanted Kiba to know I liked him. Shit, I don't know better. If I learned anything from Yuki, is was that Shino was probably up to something.

"Since when have you cared about forward?" Shino asked. I wondered that as well. Kiba was known for the crude things he spat out from time to time just to bother peoples. I've never known him to sensor anything.

"I, well…" Kiba's eyes found the ground. He was embarrassed about his answer, whatever it was. "I don't, usually, but this is…"

"If you don't have an answer, you don't have an excuse. Just go ask him." And Shino left his friend standing not four feet from my desk.

Two minutes past without Kiba moving an inch, then he glanced uneasily over his shoulder. He sidled up to my desk, stealing my neighbors chair to sit on. He had an awkward smile on his face like he was going to talk about something he rather stay fifty feet away from.

The simple fact that Kiba—the same Kiba who had embarrassed more than enough peoples with things he'd just blurted out. Like that one time he had shamed the whole room, including the teacher, to silence in health class—didn't want to bring up the topic did not bode well. The tension knotted the muscles in my jaw until moving almost hurt.

"Hey."

"Yo." Silence. Kiba obviously didn't know any way to easily bring up the topic. And if he was going to ask what I think he's going to ask, it wasn't something he could just blurt straight out. He wasn't waiting for me to ask, was he?

"Do you want something, or are you just admiring the view?" I asked eventually.

Kiba startled and instinctively took the defensive, "You may not be very masculine, but you ain't girly enough for me to look at, so don't get your hopes up."

Too late for that, though with that comment any and all hopes that I was secretly harboring were dashed. I couldn't believe he'd said I was feminine, and said I had no chances so easily. I wasn't that feminine, was I? I shrugged it off, expertly hiding how much that hurt.

Or maybe not as expertly as I thought. Kiba's brows came together, "Sorry man, I didn't really mean that. Well, I guess I did, just not that mean. It's just, you know I don't…uh…look at guys, exactly…so, yeah. Sorry man."

I painted on a smirk, hoping to displace some of Kiba's tension with a joke, "S'okay, you're not that great to look at yourself." So wrong, so totally wrong. The lie clung to my tongue like some disgusting candy. "I wouldn't get my hopes up for you, don't worry."

A hurt look started to bloom on Kiba's face, but was soon dispelled with an understanding laugh. He let out a guffaw that echoed around the full room and thankfully drained his awkwardness. "Touché!" He giggled, "But you're wrong, I'm gorgeous."

I am. "I'm not wrong."

"You are according to a shitload girls." Kiba pointed out.

I shrugged. "Maybe they're the ones that are warped. You're no Sasuke or anything."

Kiba's look changed, the very light in his eyes changing. He gave me the same sharp stare Ino used to corner peopled into admitting stuff they'd rather not. He looked like he'd learned something important. "So you're into Sasuke's type huh? Is that who Yuki hinted at?"

Fuck, wrong choice of words. Note to self: stick to the original saying. _No Adonis_, the saying goes 'you're no _Adonis'._ No substituting peopled you know.

"No way, the guy's an ass."

"True that. So…who so you like then?" Kiba leaned across the table like that could get the answer out of me.

_You._ The word was already at the tip of my tongue, yet every nerve ending screamed that that wasn't the way to confess to a guy…

* * *

**Notes-** :O I just noticed I have 200 reviews! Hugs for everybody! And of course I get the most amount of reviews on the last chapter, you all hate Yuki so much...It's really funny actually :P

Anywayz, I understand if you all hate me. I'm a terrible person for always leaving you with cliffhangers like this...


	28. Distraction

**Notes-** Look! An update! Just in time for Christmas, so Merry Christmas! and if you don't celebrate Christmas(whoever you are) Happy Holidays anyway!

:D ENJOY!

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"So will you tell me who you like then?" Kiba asked.

I stopped breathing. I needed an answer, or else he would get suspicious, but I couldn't just tell Kiba it was him I desired right to his face. Neither could I bring myself to lie to him and give him another name. No, I don't have an answer. I need to change the subject, then, I need a distraction.

I found it over Kiba's shoulder in the form of his best friend and my worst enemy. Shino and Yuki were whispering to each other some ways away. It looked like a rather important conversation. We were too far away to hear even a few snatches of anything, though it looks like the conversation included either me or Kiba, judging by the furtive glances we got once in awhile.

"Is Shino friends with Yuki?" I asked as I pointed to the strange pair behind him.

Kiba opened his mouth to chastise me for changing the subject, but still he instinctively followed my finger with his eyes. His brow furrowed, "Never have been, far as I know."

"They look pretty close now."

"They do, don't they? Kinda looks like they're talking about us." So Kiba agreed with my earlier analysis, that's good. "I wonder what they're talking about."

At that moment both Shino and Yuki turned around to give us glances. They caught us staring, and each took a step away from each other. It was totally suspicious and basically confirmed that they were talking about me or Kiba.

Kiba's eyes narrowed at the strange couple, a smile blossoming in his lips. Without warning he stood up. "I think we should see what they're up to." He turned that beautifully wicked grin to me.

It took a moment to see past his glaring smile and realize he meant for me to follow him. "Do I have to?"

"What?"

"Do I have to come with you?" I glanced past his torso to Yuki, who had the evilest smile. She looked really approving. I was afraid she'd congratulate me if I went over to her with Kiba. Now that would give up the game as easy as if I'd told him myself.

Kiba's smile didn't falter at my unwillingness. In fact it seemed to grow at least three times bigger. The light of a stalker zeroing in on their prey danced there. It was deliciously creepy, sending tingles of almost fear down every nerve.

There are so many other situations I would rather he look at me like that. Right now I don't think the look meant anything good for me.

"Of course you do." Kiba sang. "They might be talking about you too you know."

I opened my mouth to complain about the possibility, even if I knew it could be totally true. I let out the customary sigh, even rolled my eyes, and then Kiba grabbed my arm before any sound could pass my open lips. He levered me out of my seat and over to his friends before I could even blink.

"What's up Yuki?"

Yuki jumped slightly at being addressed, though I don't think anyone else noticed. Actually, Shino seemed to be slowly sliding farther and farther away from us while Kiba's attention was elsewhere.

Kiba abruptly turned and jumped his retreating friend. I was impressed; he made it look like he was just slinging his arm around his friend to bring his in the conversation, not to keep him from running away.

"Been up to anything interesting?" Kiba asked happily. Shino tried to shrug off his friends arm, but somehow Kiba managed to hold on without looking like he was locking his arm.

"Not since I last talked to you ten minutes ago, no." Shino resigned himself to answering. His eyes flickered to me, "I take it you asked Shikamaru what you wanted, or are you planning to ask Yuki?"

The shift of conversation brought all attention back to Yuki. I looked back at her, and was surprised to see in the twenty second span I'd taken my eyes off her she'd put a couple meters between us. She smiled shyly and came back to us. I might have imagined it, but it looked like Yuki gave Shino a hard stare, like she was chastising him for bringing her back into the conversation.

Yuki had mentioned she'd fallen for someone new. She'd fallen for me, so no one really thought her tastes were exactly normal, so maybe…Shino?

"Ask me what?" I think I did imagine the stare, because without pause she was back to flashing her pearly whites and flipping her hair like talking to Kiba was the best thing that ever happened to her. She was a good actor, even for a girl.

Kiba waved away her question. "Nothing, nothing. Hey, speaking of nothing, me and Shikamaru saw you two doing nothing together." He moved to capture Yuki as well, "So what were you up to together?"

Neither spoke, both were probably hoping the other would come up with an excuse. Kiba happily looked between the two, swinging his head like he was watching a tennis match. Maybe there was a match going on, one between Shino and Yuki with a ball of responsibility.

Finally Yuki spoke up, "Together? Me and Shino weren't up to anything together."

"That's not what we saw!" Kiba sang, tightening his group on both people. "You looked pretty suspicious to us. Right Shikamaru?" He gave me a look that made it seem like he knew I'd only pointed them out to avoid his question.

My shoulders hunched in an attempt to shrink away from Kiba's knowing look. "Yeah, right. It did look pretty weird."

"We were just talking, Kiba. There's nothing wrong with that." Shino finally gave up on wriggling out of Kiba's iron grasp. "Just like you were just talking with Shikamaru. How did that go anyway?"

Shino was changing the subject again. It was getting tiring trying to follow this conversation while all three were trying to force it in three different directions. Kiba wanted to talk about Shino and Yuki, Shino wanted to steer things to Kiba and Yuki would rather the whole conversation ended. Somehow Kiba could keep up with the flow of things and push the current relatively where he wanted.

"It didn't," He said honestly before rushing to cut off Shino before he could ask, "but that's only because you and Yuki were so much more interesting. We figured we'd come and see what you were doing, right Shikamaru?"

Was this all he brought me over here for? "Right." I sighed.

"So," Kiba waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "You two lovebirds seemed pretty close three minutes ago. You planning a date?"

"Date?" Yuki managed to shove away from Kiba. She whirled angrily on him and screeched, "Why would you think that? I wouldn't date _Shino_, no offence."

"None taken." Shino whispered. No one besides me heard him over Yuki explaining why a relationship with Shino was beyond her. I watched the bug enthusiast, not interested in the least what Yuki was saying. Shino didn't seem fazed in the least by Yuki naming off his faults. Maybe I was reading him wrong, many peoples do, but it really did seem like Yuki meant nothing to him.

"Yeah, sure," Kiba spun his words with sarcasm. "because you definitely wouldn't have been standing so close if you felt that way for him. Admit it, you see Shino's total awesomeness and it attracts you."

"It does not!" Yuki snapped, "We were talking about important matters, that all!"

"Important like when and where to meet for your date?" He countered easily.

"No, important like how thick you are about-" She went to stomp her foot angrily, but stopped mid-action as her hands flew to her mouth to hold in the information that had almost leaked out.

Kiba's face dropped in a look of confusion, "How think I am about what?"

"Everything. You're thick about absolutely everything." Shino stepped in when Yuki seemed at a loss for words. "Honestly, I'm surprised you've made it this far in school. If it were up to me I'd have put you back in second grade."

"Second grade!"

"I'd say first, but that's a little harsh."

"Shino!"

Yuki sidled to my side as Shino tactfully kept the argument wit Kiba going while not agitating the boy to the point he threw a punch.

"Hey Shika." The way the girl rolled her shoulders and hips into a supposedly comfortable position you'd think she was still trying to seduce me.

"Hey." She is going to congratulate me for snagging Kiba isn't she? Even though he was still as oblivious as he was when I was the only person who knew I liked boys.

She pursed her lips, probably at my total lack of enthusiasm, then let out a small air that whispered defeat. "He doesn't know, does he? You didn't tell him and he obviously didn't figure it out on his own

"Nope." The smallest of smiles curled my lips watching her roll her eyes at the obvious information. "You're plan kinda backfired, huh?"

There was nearly a tenth of a second of surprise before the female called on her natural ability to act a brilliant recreation of innocence. "What plan? I told everyone your secret just for the hell of getting back at you for totally embarrassing me in front of _everyone_." If I hadn't caught the split second of surprise I might have believed the venom in her voice. "That plan worked perfectly."

"But the part where Kiba figures it out didn't."

"That wasn't ever part of the plan."

"Did you want him to hate me or something? That would have gotten me back pretty good."

A look of shocked hurt broke her careful mask of ignorance. "Now _that_ was _never_ part of the plan." It looked like she meant it. Part of me was relieved; that would have been mean, even for a conniving female.

"So you admit there was plan?"

"Wha…Yeah, sure, there was a plan. I think I admitted that like a whole minute ago. What's that got to do with anything?"

"It means ratting me out wasn't spur of the moment. It means you had actual intention to hurt me."

"Yeah, so?"

"If you had killed me that would be considered 1st degree murder." Random, I know. The look on her face was priceless, though. If I was anyone else I would probably have burst out in loud laughter right there.


	29. Stolen

**Notes-** Big thanks to Akari Yasutora for his help with this. He gave me an the idea for this chapter and helped me out a huge writers block. It was awhile ago, but I have to thank him for being awesome anyway :P

I was actually thinking about updating a week ago, but i decided to wait. Today is the two year anniversary of _When Did I Become a Soap Opera_, actually. I don't know if it's lame to actually spend two years on a fanfiction, but I'm actually really proud it lasted this long and I stuck with it :D Anyway, I promise Soap Opera will be done before another year goes by, for everyoen who thinks it's dragging on. Enjoy!

* * *

It's raining today. It's not a gloomy day though, more like a hopeful rain. The kind of rain that signifies the changing of seasons. It's a light rain, a sprinkling. Some peoples say the sky cries when it rains. If that's true, such a light sprinkling can't possible be called crying. More like a light drool…

Choji slipped through the door just as the bell rang. His girlfriend was still clinging happily to his arm. I never understood how walking together through crowded hallways while everyone was stuck inside from the rain made the girlfriends happy. Well, not just the girlfriend, Haku had been stolen away by Zabuza for the exact same reason and was now trying to stretch his lips beyond the limits of his face.

The teacher walked in behind him. It wasn't one of the teachers I liked either. Mizuki-sensei was someone who had graduated teachers college with Iruka-sensei. Iruka trusted him, even after he'd been busted for dealing drugs to a couple of his students. Mizuki had spent a couple years in jail and either an institution or rehab. The school had taken him on as a teacher again, but only because Iruka had vouched for him and promised to keep an eye on him. Tsunade still kept him on the radar, but Mizuki's been clean for years, so she put up with him.

He sucked as a teacher though. He was the kind of teacher that shoved the knowledge down your throat and shouted _learn! _Then he pretended to actually be a teacher and graded work we gave in months ago while you tried to cough up what you're choking on to try and figure out what he was trying to teach you. Figuratively speaking, of course.

He just isn't worth listening to. I turned my attention back to the rain splattering against the window.

Something brushed my arm. I tore my eyes from the window to see Choji had claimed the seat next to me. That's the only good part of Mizuki-sensei, as long as he can pretend to teach he doesn't care who sits where. I was only slightly surprised to see that Choji's girlfriend had taken a seat with the other girls across the room.

Choji's hand retracted momentarily as the teacher looked back to check the class was still there. As soon as the older man went back to writing with the messy chalk Choji bumped the scrap of paper against my arm again. A note? Choji has never exactly been the type to pass notes behind the teachers back. He's never been firmly against it either, but he liked to follow the rules when he could.

I reached and took his note. A yawn escaped as I pulled my head up off the desk. It's easier to read sitting up.

_You okay?_

Am I okay? Was I acted suspicious or something? I fumbled for a pencil and scribbled back. _Should I not be?_

_I was just wondering. _He wrote back, _Naruto says he saw you talking to both Kiba and Yuki yesterday. Nothing happened?_

I had to think about that for a second before I wrote a response. _Yuki and Shino were conspiring together. Kiba dragged me along to investigate._

_They were conspiring? About what?_

My first instinct was to shrug. _Dunno. They never said. Something about me and Kiba I think._

Choji mulled that over for awhile. I could almost see the hamster in his brain munching happily while it tried to unweave Yuki's web to see what she was up to. Meanwhile Choji chewed his pencil while he watched Mizuki-sensei stalk back and forth up front. The teacher glared his way as if he could tell Choji wasn't paying him any attention.

_What did Kiba want?_

_Same as everyone, to know exactly who I like. Before you ask I didn't tell him. He doesn't know._

_You should tell him. He'd take it fine. _Sounds like the same advice when I asked what to do months ago when I first realized I liked him. Of course, then everyone assumed I liked Choji.

Does Choji want me to confess to my crush? I know he's looking out for me. Maybe he's hoping I would be as happy with Kiba as he is with his girlfriend.

_What do you mean he's take it fine?_

_It's Kiba. He wouldn't flip out and turn you down or anything. He'd probably be flattered and take you out on a date anyway._

A date with Kiba…Wouldn't that be a dream come true. _I don't want a pity date. _I wrote to him.

_You'd enjoy it either way._ He put a couple smiley faces around his response. The little winking emoticons that made it obvious what he thought. He even waggled his eyebrows suggestively when I sent him a look.

_I refuse to admit that. It really wouldn't do me any good to tell Kiba I like him…_

Choji smiled at my denial. By now the scrap of paper was covered in half legible scribbles. I was surprised he found any space to squeeze in one last answer.

Class ended just as Choji finished his response. All around him people jumped out of their seats with their friends and fled the room. He folded the note carefully and held it out to me anyway.

Choji's girlfriend bounced up and slipped into his lap. "What are you two lovely lads up to?" She giggled as if that was actually funny, reaching for the paper between Choji's fingers.

Choji jerked his arm away from his seeking fingers. "It's nothing, Haruko."

"Oh come on," The girlfriend moved quicker than Choji could did, spinning out off his lap and snatching the note before dancing out of reach. "What could you boys possible be talking about that's so…secret…?" She trailed off.

My heart nearly stopped when her violet eyes widened as she scanned the note. She let out an airy _oh_ and her hand found her lips in surprise.

I had basically written out a full confession on that piece of paper!

Choji grabbed her hand desperately. "Haruko, you can't—"

She ignored him, for once, and just leaned around him and across his desk. "So you do like Kiba? Really?" She whispered, even though everyone else was long gone.

"You can't tell anyone, Haruko." Choji said like any good friend. Problem was anyone probably already knew. There was no one for his girlfriend to tell, besides Kiba himself.

"It wouldn't matter. After Yuki's announcement everyone kind of knows already." She pointed out herself. "But you really do like Kiba?"

What did she expect me to do? Swear on the holy bible everything I say is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? "…yes." Not much I can do except admit it.

"Really?" You'd think she'd get the idea already.

"Yuki made it kind of obvious."

"Well, yeah. No one was really sure whether or not to believe her. I mean, you guys aren't exactly on the best of terms. A lot of people think she made it all up."

This is why I hate talking to women. The conversation is long, and troublesome. It repeats itself. Always seems to come back to the same thing. "Unfortunately, she didn't."

Her face melted, "Aw, that's so cute!"

"Cute?"

"Yeah. It's an unrequited love! A secret love between guys. It's all so romantic…" Sh sighed dreamily. I wonder if she was seeing one of those tear jerking Chick flicks that are poisoning the minds of youth today. "Choji's right, you know you would enjoy even just a pity date from Kiba. And you never know, he might just enjoy it too."

I'm honestly getting tired of hearing these kinds of things. Being with Kiba…I don't want a pity date. I really don't. I know I don't have an actual chance with him. I knew that the same time I admitted my feelings. Kiba wasn't into boys, it was a simple fact. "He can enjoy it all he wants. It wouldn't change the fact he doesn't like me."

She leaned in so close I was almost afraid she'd kiss me and I'd have Choji on my ass. He'd never forgive me, even if he knows I don't want her at all. "Make him change his mind." She said as if that was the simplest idea in the world.

"You know it's not that easy." Choji reminded her. He gently took her hand and stood to get his books. "Please, just let it go. Don't tell anyone."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "No one who doesn't already know."

Choji gave her a look, but let it pass. He said a quick goodbye and followed his girlfriend out. Choji left the note behind. Curious on what good Choji thought admitting to Kiba would bring me, I opened it.

_You never know. Maybe you should just get it out there._


	30. Confrontation

"Haruko promises she won't talk to anyone about yesterday," Was the first thing Choji said to me this morning. We were at the intersection between our houses as usual; ready to walk to school like every day. "I talked to her last night about it."

"Alright." I yawned. It was too early in the morning to worry about the girlfriend.

Choji watched me stretch with a concerned look. Obviously he thought my indifference meant something was wrong. "I made her swear…" He muttered somewhat unhappily as we started off.

"I don't care Choji. She was right, after the thing with Yuki most everyone knows anyway. Don't worry about it." He would probably worry anyway, I hate making him worry, but it's hard not to sometimes.

He shrugged. "If you say so. I trust her, even though I know you don't."  
"Of course you do," A cynical smile broke my morning blues, "and of course I don't. You trust her 'cause she's your girlfriend and I don't because she's your _girl_friend. Simple as that."

"That's a stupid reason not to trust her. You know you can't go through life hating girls like you do."

"I very well can. There are enough guys around, who's to say I ever have to have anything to do with girls?"

"You can't." Choji teased. "Someday you'll have to do some project or something really important and have no choice but to do it with a girl."

"Maybe there'll be someone I can bribe to get out of it."

"And maybe there won't be." Choji smiled; a laugh obvious in his eyes. "Face it. There'll be a day when you'll have to work with a woman."

"I guess," I admitted finally. "Doesn't mean I'll have to like it in any way."

We laughed. The joking around useless issues lasted us easily all the way to school. It took Choji's mind off the fact he thinks he should be worrying and it took mine off the fact it was morning. At least it wasn't Monday. Monday is a terrible way to spend 1/7 of your life, as the saying goes.

Something chewed at me as we stood at our lockers. A small indescribable feeling that pulled at the hairs on my neck and danced down my arms in a trail of goose bumps. I tried to ignore it; considering it to just be someone watching me. It didn't go away.

When I looked around my eyes unwillingly stopped at where Kiba was leaning on his locker. He was the same messy perfect he always was; each hair was perfectly placed like he wanted to look like he had just rolled out of bed, his eyes had a seductive heaviness to them. He just had this natural rugged beauty. One corner of his matchless lips went up in half smile. His melted chocolate eyes flashed cheerfully to the person he was talking to.

Choji's girlfriend.

I suddenly realized where the dreadful feeling came from. If asked, I would have sworn the temperature in the hallway dropped a million degrees; so low every drop of blood in my veins came to a dead stop.

It would have made endless years of sense if I'd felt angry Kiba was flirting with yet another girl. I could have been angry he was flirting with Choji's girlfriend of all females. I would rather have been angry at the girl for possibly cheating on Choji! But I wasn't; I was scared.

Choji had promised me he'd gotten her to swear not to tell anyone. I'd told him I didn't care. I didn't. Anyone she would have talked to know who I liked, or at least had a suspicion. It wouldn't have mattered who she talked to.

Except she had to talk to Kiba of all people.

"Hello in there," Choji called. A book came down on the top of my head. "You know you have to at least wait to get to class to fall asleep."

My eyes wouldn't move from the image of my potential doom. My response was automatic, and came out a lot more bitterly than I wanted. "I know that."

To his credit, Choji didn't even flinch. If he was hurt at all, he even kept it from his eyes. A feat I'm not sure my emotional friend can do. Whatever he was thinking, he kept it in the tightening of his lips into a thin line. At least until he followed my line of sight, then his mouth opened in unspoken defense of his girlfriend.

This was too much so early in the morning. All these rushing emotions were giving me a headache. I finally blinked, and turned away before opening my eyes to avoid being enthralled again.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Choji spouted desperately as he watched me search his locker for the painkillers I knew he had stashed in there. "She's probably just asking what he thinks of you to see if you have a chance or something. She wouldn't—"

I found those painkillers hidden behind a stash of chocolate. "I know she promised you. I already told you I don't care. I really don't. Just leave it."

"She promised…." Choji muttered.

My hand found his shoulder, "I know she did, Choji. You believe her, so I do too, kind of. I'm not accusing her of anything."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, huh?" Choji smiled, embarrassed.

"It sounds right, whatever that means."

"Whatever that means? How can you not know what 'don't count your chickens before they hatch' means? Everyone knows that saying!" Choji pushed away the troubles of morning and chuckled.

"You know I never listen to Iruka-sensei when he starts on those life lessons in proverbs things." A fact I was almost proud of.

"Really? Not one? Some of them were kinda useful."

Choji's girlfriend was still talking to Kiba when the warning bell rang and I was dragged off to class. It bothered me all day too. Choji's girlfriend wasn't nearly as smiley as usual and Kiba was sneaking me glanced like the all the girls did Sasuke. It was all very suspicious.

Or I was getting paranoid. I went with that theory when I thought I saw Yuki whispering to Shino again, and she seemed to give me some sly smiles when I wasn't really looking.

I didn't sleep in any of my classes that day; every second was full of dubiosity. I was suspicious of everything. Why that one scene had bothered me to the point of paranoia, I couldn't say. But suddenly it seemed like the whole school was out to get me, laughing at me while they spilled my secret crush to Kiba. It seemed every look I got was one pitying me for the fact Kiba was going to reject me.

Oh, that's why. I'm afraid. Afraid Kiba knows, afraid he'll turn me down flat.

It was last period that that fear hit me for real. I came back from the break to find an unassuming white paper sitting inconspicuously on my desk. It was a short note, written in nondescript black ink.

_2:30. Front door._

I couldn't breathe for a whole minute, I was just rereading in over and over like that would reveal previously withheld information. At that moment I wished I knew Kiba's handwriting. The meeting was set for 2:30, before the end of class. And at the front door, away from all the classes and/or any whispering students…perfect place to dump someone.

I really am too paranoid.

All through class I fidgeted. I was confused by the small letter and was anxious to figure out what its purpose was. The minutes crawled by at a snails pace—and the snail I used to measure with laughed at me on it's way by. When the clock hit 2:25 I could have jumped out of my seat and run out class without so much as a goodbye. 2:26 and I couldn't wait any longer. I grabbed my books, made an excuse and went straight to the meeting place.

Once there, my nerves completely look over. The air suddenly lost all air-like qualities. Adrenaline made my hands start to shake. It got to the point I was glad I hadn't bothered to put my books away just so I could use them to hide my nervousness. I had to force a few deep breaths into my lungs before I looked around for the note writer.

I turned to see Kiba sauntering across the foyer. "Hey." He said coolly.

"…hey." It really was him. He really was going to reject me. My world started to crumble around me in complete preparation to fall down.

At first he did nothing, just stood there and looked at his own thoughts. He even looked like he bit his lip before he swung around to put his weight against the wall. "I talked to Haruko today." He announced.

I knew that. "A dream come true for you?" I placed a smirk on my face, as if I was as amused as I didn't feel.

Kiba gave a half-hearted laugh. "Who knows what Choji would do to me if I ever admitted to that."

I shoved my hands in my sweater and hunched my shoulders against the wall next to him. "Naw, Choji wouldn't touch you unless you actually _do_ something to her."

Another half hearted laugh. "Yeah, yeah. The Hulk is docile until prodded. I read the comics. You know," He shifted to he was facing me face on, "Haruko…She told me you liked me."

Shit, I knew it. "Did she?"

"Yeah. She said that that was what Yuki was talking about. You know, when she said all those hints. That she was hinting at me."

"Yeah." This was a golden opportunity; a chance to confess without the messy stuttering and blurting out random things.

"So do you like me?" He asked bluntly.

What was I thinking? "Yeah."

"Really?"

What am I doing? "…Yeah."

He sucked in a breath. "Do you _like_ like me?"

I'm paranoid. I've been paranoid all day. It's just my desperate mind making me think he was getting closer with every question. I wanted to desperately for him to be getting close, like the time at the museum…

Our lips made contact.

I bolted. The school day was over anyway, and the doors were right there. It was so easy to let the panic take over and propel me to home. How could I have been so stupid to do that? To kiss him?

Frustrated tears pricked at my eyes.


	31. Sick

_I'm sick._

At least, that's what I told my parents. It was true too, in a sense. Maybe my body wasn't overheating, wasn't acting against itself and I wasn't about to collapse over the nearest toilet. I wasn't even more tired than any other day. But still, I was sick.

I know for a fact I wasn't about to lose what little I had for lunch, but it felt like I should. My stomach refused to calm down, no matter what I ate, or didn't eat. My head was pounding in time with my heart. It was a deep hammering that didn't stop, even after painkillers. The worst part was that I could still feel Kiba's lips on mine. It left a light tingling that set my heart beating faster.

It was a sickening feeling, and I loved it. And I hated that I loved it.

I'd been loving it and hating it all night. I'd hardly slept with the fleeing dancing across my lips. If I closed my eyes long enough it was like Kiba was still in front of me, lips cracked in a slight smile like he was begging me for a kiss. The image made the tingling turn into a vicious burning. The lack of sleep made everything worse.

The doorbell rang and I dragged my mentally sick ass up to get it. It was Choji.

"You don't look like you're dying." was the first thing he said.

"I miss one day of school and you think I'm dying?"

Choji chuckled apologetically on his way through the door. "It seemed like the only reason your mom would let you skip school. You always complain about how she makes you go no matter what."

I shrugged, a smile bouncing over my features. For a moment, my amusement made me forget the shape of Kiba's lips on mine. Then the feeling returned, and my smile slipped away. "I guess I managed to get her to think I was close enough that she agreed."

"Somehow."

"Somehow." I agreed.

Choji knew his way around my house as well as he did his own. He could have navigated his way from the front door to my living room backwards with his eyes closed. Hell, he could probably have made it safely up the stairs to my room the same way. I would have marveled at his memory, if I couldn't do the same thing in his house.

My large friend led unerringly to the living room. He scoffed slightly at the nest of blankets and pillows I'd built myself but otherwise didn't say a thing. He thankfully ignored all the shit on the floor. I think some of those chip packets still had some in them, don't know which though.

Choji smiled as he took mom's favorite lounge chair and watched me nestle back into my nest. "Made yourself a little comfortable there?" He teased.

I just sneered at him and continued to drape blankets over my shoulders. I'd spent the day perfecting the art of becoming one with the couch. I knew perfectly well how to comfortably turn into a mound of depression, now.

I really am the stupidest hormonal teenager this side of town. Naruto lives on the other side of town.

"So why'd you stay home if you're not sick?" Choji asked when I was done shifting.

"I feel sick." I told him honestly.

The amusement left Choji's face in under a second.

"I didn't sleep much last night." I continued. "Feels like I had a fever or something. I was like, half awake and half asleep. I can remember bits of my dreams, but they feel more like memories than dreams. And none of the pieces fit together at all. Might as well have been other people dreams."

"Tell me about them."  
The fact Choji was concerned over my _dreams _with such a serious face made the whole thing seem hilarious.

"It's nothing, Choji. They're just dreams." I couldn't keep the amusement from my voice. Choji just makes everything better, whether he means it like that or not.

"So…?" He shook his head, confused. "What's wrong then?"

My lips burned with the memory again. I tried to bury myself deeper in the blankets hoping to hide the embarrassed sadness I know took home on my face. "He knows."

It came out lower than a whisper. There was no way Choji could have caught it. "What?" He asked.

"He knows." I said louder. It was easier to spit out the second time.

"He…who knows…what?"

My fingers kneaded the corner of the blanket that hung around my shoulder. My heart pounded, nervous as a bird and the words rebelled as I tried to force them out of my throat. Is this how Hinata feels every time she tried to talk to Naruto? Why she plays with her fingers near constantly? Must be terrible for her.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that shouldn't be there. This was Choji I was talking to. He knows everything. About me, about Kiba, about me and Kiba…This shouldn't be this hard.

Really, how stupid can I be sometimes?

"Kiba." I nearly shouted it trying to make sure it came out as more than a whisper. I checked my volume but it still came out as little more than a whisper. "Kiba…Kiba knows…"

Choji's eyes nearly bugged right out of his head. He leaned forward and dropped his voice, though there's no one around to overhear him. "Kiba knows you like him?"  
I nodded weakly.

He sucked in a sharp breath and for a second I was afraid he'd start on about how great that was for me. Instead he gnawed on the inside of his cheek and thought it over.

He kept quiet until I was shifting nervously in my blankets.

"I know you don't want me to tell you that's great." He sighed eventually. "But it is, you know. How…did he find out?"

Now this isn't hard to say. "You're _girlfriend_ told him." I spat.

This time his eyes nearly popped out of his head. Defensiveness made those dark eyes harden. "Haruko wouldn't do that." He said instinctively. "She promised she wouldn't."

"Well she _did_, Choji. Kiba told me when he asked how much I like him." I admit I was being a little cruel, but somehow I couldn't stop myself. "This is why I didn't want _girls_ to find out."

Choji didn't say a word. He was angry, I can tell. Angry that I accused his girlfriend of lying to him, angry I didn't care enough to spare his feelings about it and angry that I was still cruelly prejudiced against women. So, he just got up and left without a single word. I could hear him pick up the phone in the next room. He didn't bother to ask if he could use my phone, but I made no move to stop him.

He was probably calling his girlfriend to confirm what I'd told him. I could imagine the whole thing easily enough. He would ask what she was doing and smile while she chattered noisily. Then he'd quietly slip in a reminder about her promise. When she takes to long to answer Choji would ask if she really told Kiba. On the other end of the line her lavender eyes would tear up and she'd put obvious tremors in her voice while she stuttered some kind of explanation.

She couldn't deny it. She was the only person other than me and Choji who knew _exactly_ who I liked; for certain anyway. Besides, what reason would Kiba have to lie about who told him?

Choji came back. By the look on his face she hadn't bothered to lie to him. He looked so betrayed…

"Sorry." He said like the whole thing was his fault.

"Don't worry about it. It's not like you're the one who told Kiba everything." So what I was still angry at Choji's girlfriend for being a backstabbing bitch? Doesn't mean Choji had to take the fall for her.

"But it is kinda my fault. She's my girlfriend, so it's kinda my fault she knows anything at all. I should have been harder on her not to tell anyone.

She talked to Yuki about it first," Choji reported sadly, "Wanted to see if Yuki knew, or if she was just guessing before when she…You know. Haruko said Yuki told her Kiba already knew, so she didn't think there'd be any harm in talking to him."

_Yuki again…_Damn that woman!

It clicked in Choji's head too, "Yuki…She really has it out for you, huh?"

"That bitch."

"I can't believe she's really that angry with you. She acts like she forgave you, at least she has lately."

"She's such a _bitch!_"

"Shikamaru!"

"Yeah, yeah." I took the advice Choji was projecting through his eyes and calmed myself down. Getting mad at Choji because Yuki was such a conniving little weasel wasn't helping anything. "Hey, sorry about chewing you out about Haruko. I guess it wasn't totally her fault or anything."

Choji let go of all his pent up anger in a single rush of air. "It's okay. I just…I can't believe she talked to Kiba of all people, even if she did think he already knew."

Anger was bubbling in my gut; not even Choji's usually calming presence was helping. "Yuki…" I growled.

Why was she getting so involved in my love life? Every time something bad happens, Yuki seems to be somewhere in the middle of it. She's totally out to get me, that much I know. Outing my homosexuality to the whole class, that revenge I can understand. Telling really obvious clues just goes with it. Females like Yuki and Ino just wouldn't be happy without pushing their revenge to the limits. Actually coming out and telling their enemy's crush about that crush would be too cruel and heartless, even for girls. Yuki should be happy now, so why go through the trouble of tricking Haruko into confessing for me?

What the hell does that witch expect to get from that arrangement?

"Choji?" The only way to find out would be to ask, I suppose. "Where's your girlfriend now, if not with you?"

"Uh, she went shopping with Ino, I think." He said slowly.

"Where?"

For a second, Choji looked like he was drowning. Somewhere in his head he knew telling me where his girlfriend was would lead me to Yuki and leading me to Yuki probably wasn't a good thing. That knowledge was probably conflicting with the simplicity of what I was asking. The desire to be a good friend wouldn't help either.

He gave before his head exploded, "I can ask, if you want."

"Please." I left my blanket nest to put on some actual clothes and left him with the phone.

When I finished Choji was still phoning back his girlfriend. He was cajoling her, assuring her I wasn't going to hunt her down. Instead he asked quietly about Yuki. He nodded and told her I was more angry at Yuki than her. The last stair groaned under my weight, alerting Choji to my presence, so he said a quick goodbye and hung up.

"She's at the West End mall with Ino and a couple other girls." He informed me.

"And Yuki?"

The debate on whether or not to tell me showed clearly on his face. "She…she's there too."

"Good. Let's go."

"Shikamaru!" Choji grabbed my arm, obviously distressed.

I gave him a reassuring smile, "Let's just go see your girlfriend."

"It's okay," He said quickly, "I came to see you. Everything else can wait 'till tomorrow. Yuki can wait for tomorrow."

Something inside me hardened. Yuki had it out for me to the point she took every opportunity to out me to Kiba. She was obviously trying to ruin any chance I had with him before I was ready to deal with him.

"It can't. Let's go." I left without checking that Choji was coming. Yuki was at the West End mall. I didn't need Choji to find her.


	32. Once And For All

The West End Mall.

I can find Yuki here. I can confront Yuki here. Choji can distract all the other females with I get to Yuki. I need to get Yuki away from the rest of the herd; otherwise I'll never be able to get the words out. They wouldn't let me; and I don't want a repeat of that troublesome party from months ago.

"Shikamaru." Choji called form behind me. He didn't want me to see Yuki, at least not until I'd calmed down some. "Slowdown; It's not like you know where they are anyway."

"We'll use your girlfriend sense or something." I needed to beat Yuki's little female ass now while my anger's hot, otherwise I probably wouldn't. That's just how I am.

"Use my…I don't have a girlfriend sense, Shika. So, I guess we can't use it then. How about we go home and you can write a speech about what you want to say to Yuki when you see her tomorrow or something." He tried yet again to get me to give up.

"What kind of stores does Haruko go to? What does she like?"

He rolled his eyes, knowing full well how fake my interest was. He answered anyway. For all the world he seemed to forget about getting me to turn back. Choji resigned himself to following me while I stalked around the mall in search of a group of girls all of whom I hate.

It took awhile—no surprise in a 728,000 square feet building with 155 stores and services—but I found them. They were bunched together like lemmings, chattering loudly while they waited for the last of their group to stop giggling long enough to order their smoothies. Their voices were loud and shrill enough that I could hear them across the hall, crowded as that hall is. Suddenly I wanted nothing more than to follow Choji's advice and just go home. The noise and the idea of splitting up that squealing mob was giving m ea headache.

But Yuki was there. Right smack dab in the middle of the assembly, her eyes flashing as she sipped the pink gunk in her cup.

A couple girls away Choji's girlfriend flipped her hair in response to something Sakura was saying. The amused smile slipped slightly when her eyes met Choji's. Beside me I knew Choji was giving her a nervous smile and equally nervous smile, a sure sign that she's free to ignore him this time. She didn't; she fixed her slipping smile, waved off Sakura and skipped over to Choji's side.

Her eyes slip fearfully to me as she passed, as if she was afraid I'd stop her in her path. Maybe it was just me, but it looked like she even took a few steps to the side so there was always a person between her and me.

Choji swept her protectively to his side the moment she was within reach. I wasn't after her and he knew that, but still he acted like she was the one I was hunting down. Under his arm, Haruko smiled nervously, trying to look apologetic.

The stupid nagging voice in the back of my head took one look at the semi-terrified girl hiding behind my best friend and started on about an apology. Then my logic kicked in and went on about how I shouldn't just take Choji's word; he could have made the whole thing up to spare his girlfriend.

I checked Yuki's position one last time and went to Choji's side. Choji's girlfriend shrank away the moment I set eyes on her. "Yuki told you Kiba already knew?" I had to be sure ro my consciousness would eat at me. Still, I wouldn't apologize until I's heard about Yuki from Haruko's female lips.

She nodded so fast it looked like her head might fly off. "I swear I didn't mean too—Yuki said he already talked to her about you and he knew. I didn't think…Everybody already knew anyway! I can't believe no one told him!" She started to hyperventilate.

Choji just squeezed her closer still and shot me a disapproving look. I may be his best friend, but that doesn't give me the right to terrorize his girlfriend.

I sighed, some of my anger already draining away. "Whatever. Choji will probably never talk to me again if I don't apologize, so…I guess I can forgive you for it. It's Yuki's fault, not yours, I guess."

Haruko looked relieved as she peeked around her overly-protective boyfriend like a groundhog out of its hole to check for snow. "I am so~ sorry Shikamaru." She said again. She managed to look genuinely regretful for a full three seconds before she brightened and tried to turn her mistake into a positive for me. "You know, now that he knows and everyone else knows too, it's a big step for you. You can ask him out and nobody will have anything to say about it. The whole confession thing is already out of the way for you! And let me tell you, that's the worst part." She sent a soulful look at Choji as she spoke.

And that anger I lost was coming back. Can women just learn to keep their noses in their _own_ love lives? "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Apology out of the way, I tried to put her out of my mind so I could focus on Yuki. "Crap," I swore, "Where'd Yuki go?"

Of course she'd left with her posse of giggling girls. When they'd seen Haruko meet up with Choji, they'd obviously assumed they'd been ditched and moved on.

"We were planning to go by that new clothes store on the third floor." Choji's girlfriend piped up. She was clearly trying to help and get into my favor after her screw-up. "You could check there."

I nodded, not actually listening. I was too busy scanning the milling crowds for any sign of Yuki's bouncing blue-streaked head. If I remember correctly Ino was screeching something about a super hip clothing store the other day. It was supposedly next to the gaming store where Kiba went on a regular basis—not that I knew how often he turned up there.

I'm not a stalker. I just shop there too. It's not my fault I happen to be there when he is—like that one time he was freaking out about how the store had already sold out of some new game. That was pretty funny.

…Oh, hey. There's a new Zelda game out.

I almost detoured form my path to grab the game while I was thinking about it. I was that bad at grabbing and holding on to my anger. I was that much of a natural pacifist. Then the loud screech of female giggles brought me back to the task at hand.

"Yuki!" I called. The evil blond turned at her name, saw me and waved the rest of her group into the store.

"Shikamaru!" She exclaimed happily, as if she had been expecting to meet me the whole time.

I pushed her away—gently—when she tried to wrap her arms around me in a friendly hug. "Why are you so against me?" I demanded, "You already got your revenge."

Yuki just blinked innocently. She looked at me like _I_ should be the one confused. "I don't have anything against you Shika."

"Fuck that. What do you plan on getting by going after me like this? You outed me to everyone and got your fucking revenge. Now what?"

She looked up at me, slightly offended and put off balance. Maybe if I flipped out some more she'd slip and confess or something, like in the movies.

"Now nothing." She spat. "You're right. I got my revenge. I outed you in front of the whole class and basically confessed for you. What else are you talking about?"

"You troublesome woman, don't act like you don't know!" A bad soap opera line if I ever heard one.

"Enlighten me, 'cause I really don't!"

_Stop acting so innocent!_ The words burned at my tongue, but I rebelled against how cheesy this whole conversation was getting. I hissed and took a deep breath.

"You told Haruko Kiba already knew I liked him." I said instead, "She went and talked to him about it!"

"Oh, that." She didn't even deny it. She didn't try to hide from it or try to skirt the accusation. It was rather anticlimactic. Her eyes wandered away like this conversation was totally uninteresting.

For a second I think my brain totally stopped working in surprise. In the second my mind was blank I had a flashback to Shino quietly asking about my sexuality. That was weird.

Her acquiescence only left me silent for a second before my anger flared again, "Yeah, _that_. What was up with that?"

She ignored me and kept idly scanning the crowds around us. Her green eyes landed on someone coming out of the game shop behind me.

"Shino!" She skipped around me and to the Aburame's side.

I almost followed her, at a loss for anything better to do, but stopped short when I saw he wasn't alone. Kiba was with him.

Kiba looked pretty happy, swinging a bag happily and talking Shino's ear off about whatever was in it. When Shino paused after hearing Yuki, Kiba shuffled, probably anxious to get home and start his newest adventure. Then Yuki slipped in front of Shino and Kiba's face clouded.

I was rooted to my spot, not wanting to stay and yet unable to leave. I was forced to watch as Kiba pulled Yuki aside before she even got a word out to Shino. He looked afflicted, whispering to her quickly. Not that she seemed to notice. Yuki ignored his desperate whispering like she ignored me; only half listening while her eyes wandered away. Finally she waved him off with a few innocent shakes of her head and girly hair flips. Kiba persisted anyway.

Then Shino cut in. I still don't know what Shino and Yuki have in common—and from the look on Kiba's face he didn't either.

I watched Kiba's face morph as he listened to the conversation between Shino and Yuki. I recognized the emotions as they flitted across Kiba's features—which was a sad talent, but not at all stalker-ish, I assure you.

Curiosity, surprise, anger, a slight bit of embarrassment. Then Yuki made a grand gesture and Kiba turned a dark red.

He started panicking about whatever Yuki said. His mouth was opening and closing wildly, though from where I was rooted I couldn't hear if he managed to spout out anything coherent. Occasionally his hands would fly in huge jerky movements. My own curiosity burned to know what he was freaking out over.

"Hey Shika." Choji had escaped from the girly hellhole and stood behind me. I half turned to look at him. "You've been out here awhile. Did…things go okay with Yuki?"

He looked past me to the milling crowd. "Where is Yuki anyway?"

"Nowhere." I had to resist the urge to glance where she was still talking to a flustered Kiba. "It was…She admitted to it. She admitted to telling Haruko…"

"Yuki did? She actually admitted it without a fight?" It really was kind of unbelievable wasn't it?

"She did."

"So what now?" He asked. "Did she apologize or anything?" Choji leaned back against the wall as he talked, getting comfortable.

"Nope. I doubt she even thinks she did anything wrong." Finally I forced my feet to move and put a wall of people between me and Kiba. When I joined Choji against the wall I couldn't see the strange trio.

"I guess not. But seriously, what now? Kiba knows for certain you like him. It's not like you have to worry about confessing to him now."

I really hate that argument. So what if I don't have to confess? It's just one step closer to him rejecting me because I'm male.

"You should talk to him about it." Choji continued when he saw I wasn't about to contribute to the conversation. "He's probably a little weirded out by you running away from him yesterday."

Oh, hey. Kiba was in sight again. He was still listening to Yuki and Shino. "If he's weirded out, why would I talk to him? Shouldn't I wait until he doesn't think I'm a total loser in love?" I said offhandedly. Some fat guy was moving to block my view again.

"But if you wait, he might think you're even worse of a loser." Choji pointed out logically. I vaguely noticed him wince slightly at the inferred insult he didn't mean to infer. I shrugged it off easily, still trying to see through the fat man obstructing my view of Kiba.

My curiosity was getting the better of me again. I _really_ wanted to know what was getting to Kiba. What could Yuki and Shino possibly be telling him?

"Come one Shika. It might just take you talking to him to get him to go out with you. Maybe he likes guys…" Choji was rambling in, using up every possibility he could come up with in an attempt to convince me. He even shoved off the wall to stand in front of me. I wasn't really listening; Kiba and friends had disappeared behind some troublesome lady. I couldn't get a lock on them again after she left.

"You should…" Choji trailed off, which got my attention.

Kiba was standing nervously in front of me, where Choji had been not three seconds ago.

Choji gave me a-supposed-to-be-encouraging-but-wasn't-really thumbs up over Kiba's shoulder.


	33. Maybe

Kiba was really quite cute when he was trying—and failing, I might add—to hide his nervousness. He was usually sweating confidence that heightened just how great his looks were. Seeing him bow his head and avoid eye-contact, with his long-ish hair just touching the shadow of a blush on his cheeks, was the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Kiba could really pull off the shy look.

But I couldn't enjoy it. There was too much fear and anxiety boiling in my gut. Every second Kiba spent in cute, shy silence was another second I was internally writhing in apprehension.

Choji was no help. He murmured an excuse and disappeared in a throng of shoppers. He just left me alone with Kiba.

"Hey." I whispered. The silence was killing me, as the saying goes.

"Hey." He tried for upbeat, but lost the energy to try. "You…I didn't see you at school today."

"Yeah, I stayed home. Wasn't feeling too up to it." This conversation was awkward as hell!

Kiba chewed his lip. His gaze found his feet and stayed there. "You…were avoiding me weren't you?"

Am I hyperventilating? Or maybe my heart literally stopped beating. Either way I don't think any oxygen's getting to my brain.

"It's okay. I was kinda expecting it." He admitted. "I…Can we talk, y'know, about…you?"

No, I didn't want to. I'd rather stay in my fantasy world where I might have had a chance with Kiba.

"Talk about…us?" He continued when I didn't manage to respond under the pressure.

_Us?_ That caught my attention. "You want to…talk?" I blushed when my voice cracked.

He nodded. "Do you think…could we? Somewhere else maybe? With less people or something."

He wanted to talk about _us_ somewhere else? As in _alone_? I couldn't seem to bring myself to breathe, let alone talk. The pressure built so that I could hardly stand to look at him.

I nodded and couldn't raise my gaze any farther than his feet as I followed him.

He led me to the only place in the mall not overflowing with people: the bathrooms. Well, not the actual bathrooms—how unromantic would that be?—but the hallway leading to the bathrooms. About halfway through he ducked into one of the niches that hid the back door to some store and waited for me to catch up.

"So…" I tried to start.

"So…" Kiba mimicked a minute later, his gaze flitting everywhere but towards me. I wished I knew if that was a good or bad sign.

When he didn't continue I resisted the urge to cower and prodded him. "You, uh, wanted to talk?" How pathetic that sounded.

His teeth were still worrying his bottom lip cutely. "Yeah, yeah I did. You kinda ran away yesterday before I got to say anything. "So…" He trailed off.

"So?" God, I just wanted this over with.

"So…"

"There is something after the so right?" I blushed, realized how my apprehension made a witty comment sound insulting.

"Shut up!" He blushed as well. For a moment there was silence between us as we stood blushing at each other, then Kiba started mumbling. "This is harder than I'd thought it'd be…"

"Harder than standing with the guy you like, struggling to breathe while you turn yourself inside out wondering what the hell he wants?" Where was this sudden courage coming from? "Or maybe worse than dealing with an entire class of gossiping girls after the one that hates you outs that you're gay."

Kiba snorted, but hid the grin when he ducked his head in mock shame. "Yeah, I guess you do have it pretty bad. That Yuki's really something, huh? I can't believe I was ever into her."

"You're into _everyone_. AT least you're over her now."

"I'm not into _everyone._" Kiba's smile slipped like maybe that last comment was a bit too far.

"Sorry, guess it just seems that way to me…" I tried to apologize. Even if Kiba won't like me, I don't want him to hate me over something I said.

"I don't like everyone." He defended himself, "I just like to keep my options open."

"But I'm not one of those options." The mutter slipped out before my brain could catch the thought. I could almost see the dark cloud hanging over my head, like a shadow that I could catch glimpses of out of the corner of my eye.

"Who said you weren't?" Kiba blurted out. At least, that's what I'm hoping he said, though my head was telling me I was definitely wrong.

"What?"

"I…" Kiba suddenly lost any confidence he'd built up. He turned away from me and scratched his head. "Crap, we're back to this again."

_This?_ Oh, my formal rejection. I really wish he could just get this over with so I could go back home. I kept my silence and let him look for the words he couldn't seem to find. Who knows what weird sound would wrangle its way from my throat if I talked anyway.

The awkwardness stretched out to D-Day and beyond. When a group of giggling girls past our hiding place on their way to the bathroom, I thought I'd jump out of my skin at the sudden sound. Kiba didn't seem to notice; he was too caught up in his own head trying to find the words he wanted and the courage to say it. I was stuck watching him scratch his head and daydream sadly about running my own fingers through that hair.

Kiba whirled around so abruptly I took a step back even if he was nowhere near me. He planted his feet solidly and looked me straight in the eye.

"I'm willing to try." He said before he could falter.

I had definitely heard that wrong. Kiba did not just admit he was willing to date me. If he did, I might've gone into shock or something.

Suddenly I realized that while I was fighting my hopes and fears in silence Kiba had kept talking. It was like a lid had opened and now everything he'd been struggling to say came pouring out.

"—never made it really obvious that I was into guys; or not against them anyway. As I said, I like to keep my options open. The thing with girls is that you have to constantly give them attention. So I guess I was too busy keeping the girls attention I didn't give you the kind of attention that would've made things easier for you. Shit, maybe if I'd remembered to make sure everyone knew I was into guys I would've saved you all that Yuki trouble! I—"

It was like someone had hit me in the gut, like all the air was being forced from my lungs. "You'll what?"

He stopped his rant and blinked at me, a slow shy smile blossoming on his lips. "I've nothing against you," he said more calmly, "I actually kinda like you, and I'm willing to, y'know, try dating and all that. You didn't get that from the rant?" His confidence came back in full, shining like a suit of armor.

The girly side I tried so hard to destroy idly wondered if this meant he'd be my knight.

"Really?" That came out way to breathless, yet at this moment I couldn't bring myself to care. "I…I don't know what to say." I said honestly.

"Then don't say anything." Cheesiest line in the world, but when it's followed by a tentative kiss it hardly seem to matter.

Life was good.

* * *

**Notes - **LAST CHAPTER! Well, second last cause I plan to have an epilogue. I hope it wasn't not to much of a let down as an ending, seeing as it was kinda anticlimactic after so long, there was no Lee moment or anything. Please Review, even if its to tell you wanted a Lee moment! I want to know what you think!!


	34. Epilogue

Finally those pristine little pieces of white paper with a scribbled note were landing on my desk—and it wasn't just so I could pass them along. Finally the small notes Kiba was notorious for passing to everyone and everyone was reserved especially for me. Finally.

One was waiting for me when I returned with Choji from our lunch run to the caf. My heart soared as I spotted it and it was all I could do to wait until Choji finished teasing me about my sudden enthusiasm before I jumped it. It was a simple note. Just a time and place, just like always.

It was last school year when this started between me and Kiba. After a huge conflict between me and the transfer-Ino-clone, Yuki, most of the class had known about my crush on Kiba, Kiba not included. He did find out eventually, by word of Choji's girlfriend's mouth—who, to her defense because Choji wouldn't be my friend anymore if I didn't admit this, didn't know about Kiba's obliviousness at the time. Yuki had made sure of that.

Speaking of Yuki, when Kiba came out to the rest of the class that he was going to try seeing me we finally found out what she and Shino had been conspiring about. Turns out she had been seeing Shino's younger brother, how _that_ came to be wasn't part of the story unfortunately. Sometime during her romance, she _accidently_ let slip to Shino she knew I was gay. This got Shino's attention, seeing as he already knew about Kiba's bisexuality. After the fieldtrip incident, supposedly Kiba had been confused about his feeling for me. Shino had decided, though Kiba didn't know about it, that Kiba and I had a good chance of working out. He enlisted Yuki and they'd been working on a way to get us together.

According to Yuki's outburst when Kiba admitted he was giving me a chance, she'd been just about ready to burn the words 'I like you' into my forehead and lock me in a room with the Inuzuka.

We started out slowly, me and Kiba. As much as I would have liked to have Kiba realize he liked me just as long as I did him, I knew that was an unrealistic fantasy. Knowing me, I wouldn't have trusted Fate if it dumped that on me, it would have been too _Romeo and Juliet_. It was awkward at first, as I'm sure most relationships are. Nothing much happened, neither of us sure how far Kiba was willing to go with me.

After the school year ended, things picked up between us. By the time the next year started Kiba was my boyfriend, not just someone trying out their first real homosexual relationship. We got more comfortable with each other; the cheesy romantic touches and kisses becoming more and more part of our daily lives.

Of course the weirdest part of that summer had been when Mom had found out about Kiba. I'd been waiting for…Well I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting when she found out. What I got wasn't anything close to anything I could imagine her doing. Kiba had pointed out my homosexuality in such an offhand way I'd hoped Mom wouldn't pick up on it. Of course she did pick up on it, and she just smiled and pointed out if I was straight I would have noticed Ino was a blessing years ago.

Ino, a blessing? Even if I was straight I doubt I'd ever think of her that way.

With that knowledge in mind I stepped out of class at the appointed time. I met up with Kiba in the hallway; him not caring about being in class for roll call and me forced to care for fear of my mother catching wind of how often I slipped out halfway with Kiba.

Kiba took my hand, dragging me towards outside without a word.

I sighed, knowing exactly what he was thinking and having to point it out anyway, "You do know it's raining like there's no tomorrow right?"

Kiba grinned like he always did when he knew he was doing something someone didn't like, making a joke out of everything. "I figured you'd rather drown than listen to some teacher ramble on about some math equation.

I sighed my acquiescence to that. Anything had to be better than more math. "But outside?" I whined. One perk of being together with Kiba for months was that by now I was comfortable enough to whine at him.

"Would you rather join Naruto and Sasuke?" He chuckled and led me to the boys' bathroom. When he shoved open the door I caught a flash of bright orange glued to midnight blue.

"Can Sasuke just admit to being totally after Naruto already?" I muttered as we slipped away and around a corner so we were out of sight of any teacher that could catch us.

"Naruto likes all the secrecy," Kiba responded as we left the building. I was drenched in seconds. "And he's been after Sasuke so long I doubt he'll give up just because Sasuke's too dickless to kiss him out in the open. Besides, that would mean Sasuke would have to admit he's totally over the rainbow. He's not a bright color kind of guy. Give them a couple of months and they'll be lip locked in the middle of the classroom."

It was damned cold outside. Goosebumps sprouted all up my arms and I suppressed a shiver.

Kiba noticed and pulled me under the overhand by the parking lot. He grinned like always and leaned in to claim my lips.

Suddenly the rain didn't bother me anymore.

Kiba pulled away for air and smiled. An airy, breathless laugh escaped him.

I'm biased, always have been, but Kiba was beautiful and handsome and every other word with the same meaning. His long hair hung wet and dripping into his melted chocolate eyes. A playful smirk masterfully raised his attractiveness. I wondered how many girls would have killed for this image.

"You're so troublesome." I told him. "I'll never get my mom off my back for coming home soaked like this."

"Translation: You love me and you're mom's going to get after you for being stupid when it's all my fault." He kissed me again.

He really was troublesome.

* * *

**Notes**- THE END!

Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do now. I will honestly admit, I'm feeling kind of lost without this.

I know personally, I don't really read the thanks people put in their stories, but I need to put some of my own. Feel free to skip this. I would make everyone cookies but...That would be a lot of cookies and I'd probably end up eating them all before giving them to you. That would be an epic fail on my part, so I'll avoid it. Feel free to imagine a cookie from me, if you want to. So of course I have to thank all my readers for reading through how long it took for Shika and Kiba to get together, especially since I know it dragged on and on and I'm not good at updating quickly. I doubly thank everyone who reviewed, because each and every review just made my day and made writing this that much more worth while. THANKS!


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